Parents & Carers

Welcome to our Parent and Carer section of the website

Please bear with us as we populate this section of the site. We are consulting with Parents and Carers to hear what you want to see on here, and what you would find helpful to support you to support your child or children as best you can.

The Highland Lifestyle Survey 2023 - Sleep

The Survey is carried out by pupils in P7, S2 and S4 every two years. Pupils answer a series of questions about their lifestyle, which helps inform some of the support that is put in place in and around schools in response to what the children & young people tell us.

Here we will share some of our most recent results and some useful resources to support C&YP in relation to what they have told us.

The infographic on the left looks at how much sleep respondents told us they get on a school night, with some recommendations from the NHS relating to sleep alongside our data.


Whether you are a stressed parent, a teen, a toddler, a young child or a baby, we will guide you through a process to find out whether you need to change anything, and what you can try to help with the most common sleep issues 

These links take you to further information about establishing a healthy sleep routine, how much sleep your children need and where to get further support & advice

Support children, young people, and their families to have healthy sleep. Our trained sleep counsellors provide help for parents, carers and other family members, offering advice and support on good sleep practices for all children aged over 18 months living in Scotland. Teenagers can also contact us themselves.

Healthy Eating and Exercise

Lots of our pupils reported being active throughout the week, with 52% active for at least an hour 5-7 days of the week. For more information about exercise for C&YP visit the NHS page 'Physical activity guidelines for children and young people'

For ideas relating to healthy choices, recipes and activities; visit the NHS Healthier Families site here.

Find out who your local Active Schools Co-ordinator is here, and what activities the have available in your area.

For early years play ideas (and lots more) visit bumps to bairns.


Change and Loss

We know that change and loss are a part of life, and we would like to help normalise discussions around our responses to change, loss and bereavement. 

We asked pupils whether they had experienced the death of a close family member, and also whether they had been affected by the death of someone who was not a family member. Some of those affected by the death of someone who wasn't a family member referenced celebrity deaths as having had an impact on them. 

Overwhelmingly, our children and young people sought support from their family and friends in the first instance. Below are some websites that can help you with having conversations about death and dying with your child. We also have a booklist here, and recommend the use of books to normalise grieving.

The aim of CLB Highland is to provide advice, guidance and links to useful materials, resources and other agencies both local and national, who can support in times of change. CLB Highland is a Highland website, contributed to by a variety of professionals who work in a range of roles across Highland.

Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. We support children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live, and parents and the wider family when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying.

Winston's Wish provide specialist bereavement support services, including following a bereavement by accident or illness, suicide, murder or manslaughter and deaths in the military. Their experienced bereavement support team provide bereaved children and families with the tools to come to terms with their grief.

Self Image

Those who responded to the survey were asked questions about how they felt about themselves and their lives, how they looked and whether they ever felt lonely. The infographic shows you the responses to the first question. In relation to body image, only 50% said that they were happy with how they looked. A further 22% reported being unhappy, and the other 28% were unsure. 

54% reported feeling lonely some of the time, 16% often and 30% never felt lonely. 

Dips in self-esteem are normal and will occur at different ages and stages of your child's life. Depending on pressures and changes occurring around them. Support from Parents and other supportive adults can help them get through this.

Young Minds have a very useful Parent and Carer A-Z section. Within this they have information and advice relating to self-esteem, and how, as a Parent you can help your child with their self-esteem.

Beat's vision is for there to be an end to the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders. Whether you’re living with an eating disorder or supporting a loved one, this page will provide you with lot's of relevant advice and guidance. 

Although Anna Freud's Mentally Healthy Schools site is aimed predominantly at schools, the information relating to body image held on this page is equally helpful to Parents and Carers.

Bullying

Pupils answering the questions about bullying in the lifestyle survey are aware that their responses are anonymous, this can allow them to speak honestly and openly about some of the issues they face as they journey through school.

We have further work to do to ensure that children and young people feel that they can tell someone if they or others feel bullied, and that they trust that something shall be done about it. Schools can use the Highland Council Bullying survey and the Positive Relationships and Bullying Prevention Policy Guidance to support them in addressing bullying.

Respect me have created a guide about bullying, specifically for parents and carers.

It focuses on how you can support your child to help them to feel in control again.

Education Scotland's Parent zone has a wealth of information throughout.

This page lists some of the signs of bullying behaviour, ideas for how you can help and also links to further advice available to you.

The NSPCC have developed a page that looks at bullying and cyberbullying.

It gives information about signs of bullying, types of bullying and who is likely to be at risk of bullying.

Worries

It is important to remember that we all experience worry from time to time, and that it is normal that when we are experiencing life changes or periods of uncertainty that we will also experience worry. 

When worry starts to affect your child's behaviour and thoughts on a day to day basis and it interferes with their ability to enjoy school, home and life in general it may well be time to seek further help so that it does not become too serious an issue.

Remember you can call the Just Ask helpline if you do become concerned about your child.

A key theme in the responses to worries was related to feeling unsafe. 

This page curated by the NSPCC gives a variety of tips to help you keep your children safe. Covering topics like staying safe at home, away from home, online, with relationships and talking about drugs and alcohol. There is also a section about supporting you as a parent or carer. 

Locally we offer the Seasons for Growth Parent Programme. Find out more here.

Another very useful resource from the Anna Freud Centre which may help you in responding to worries, anxieties or fears that your child is experiencing. 

This resource uses CBT techniques to take us through a practical approach to supporting people to tackle problems that may feel overwhelming, breaking them in to smaller parts.

This page on the Young Minds website looks at how you can look after yourself, whilst also looking after your child and helping them learn to become independent.

It gives tips for parents and carers who may be worried about their child, and reassures that you are not alone in having these worries, or thinking that you are not doing a good enough job.

School Counselling Service

Every school in Highland has a School Counselling Service to support Children and Young People over the age of 10 Years.  

The service is provided by fully trained registered counsellors, delivered 1:1 at both face to face and/or online sessions either in school, or at another agreed location.

An initial meeting gives a child or young person an opportunity to chat with the counsellor and establish if this is something that feels right for them, and they want to continue with.

Children and Young People can contact the counselling service direct if they wish.  Details of the service for their school should be on the school website. 

Alternatively, they can speak with any member of school staff, or other professionals that you are in touch with such as your GP.

Counselling is an opportunity for a Child or Young Person to discuss things that may be worrying them or causing them to be anxious with in a confidential and supportive space.


Kooth_FAQs_Parents_DIGITAL.pdf

Kooth has recently been commissioned by NHS Highland and is a free online counselling and emotional well-being support service providing young people aged 10-18 years across Highland with a safe and secure means of accessing support with their emotional health and wellbeing needs from a professional team of qualified counsellors.


Why Kooth?



Kooth helps to reduce waiting times for young people seeking help, removes stigma around mental health and accessing services. Kooth works with face-to-face local services to ensure a seamless transition for young people.


Kooth’s team of qualified counsellors, therapists and support workers provide guided, outcome-focused help for each individual. Kooth takes safeguarding and clinical governance extremely seriously. The safety and well-being of all Kooth users is an utmost priority.

 

Kooth will be working in the region to raise the profile of the service with professionals and young people and is hosting a Parent/Carer information session on Tuesday 21st June at 630pm.



If you are looking to talk to a professional...

We are delighted to be able to offer the Just Ask enquiry line in Highland. This service is available twice a week, and you are able to phone the number below and give a brief explanation of your concerns before your query is signposted to the relevant service.
This is a great way to access professional advice from local staff and is utilised well by Parents and Staff who have concerns about how best to support Children & Young People. 

Just Ask Poster-English 210121 (1).pdf

Just Ask enquiry line


Do you have a question about the development or wellbeing of a child or young person in Highland? Call Just Ask on Tuesdays or Thursdays, 1–4pm. A health or educational professional will call you back within a few days.

Staff usually available are

Please call us on 0300 303 1365.

Whole School Approach to Wellbeing

You may also be interested to look at our WSA to Wellbeing page (currently under construction) where you will learn more about our Self-Evaluation tool which has been developed with Children and Young People. This tool will allow schools to survey all pupils to find out how SHANARRI (Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible & Included) the school makes them feel. 

You will be able to read more about the support available across Highland, how it is accessed and when. We will begin to share good practice examples from all over Highland, along with more information about what is happening in relation to wellbeing in our schools.

Other relevant websites for Parents

Parent Club offers up-to-date guidance from the Scottish Government on your child’s health and education. It’s full of hints and tips from other parents and carers who’ve been there before. It also has advice to help you look after your own wellbeing and to point you in the direction of the support available

The Pines is a Highland specific website, developed and updated by a multi-agency team supporting Children & Young People with Neurodevelopmental needs. 

They often have training available and update the site regularly

Another Highland website with an emphasis on the Early Years.

Playing and talking together, having fun, a listening ear and loving kindness – that’s all our young children need from us to learn and develop right now. This website has lots of ideas for play and learning, or for if you have concerns about a child’s development too 

The Highland Psychological Service blog has lots of relevant information and is kept up to date by their team of Educational Psychologists and Home Visiting Teachers

Samaritans have a whole page that is dedicated to supporting you if you are worried about someone else. From basic tips through to what you can do in an emergency

Wellbeing for parents.

Whether you're an overwhelmed new parent, juggling work with entertaining a toddler or lockdowns have got you down, we are here for you with this collection of articles and films 

 Thriving Families goal is to become the ‘go to’ charity known for improving the lives of families living in the Highlands; by giving you confidence, empowering you to know your rights, know what questions to ask and have your voices heard. 

 Thriving Families is funded by the Highland Council to provide an independent, rights-based, information, advice and support service for anyone involved in the care of children and young people (up to age 25). 

The Allied Health Professionals support people who require:

Mind have a page within their information and support section dedicated to helping someone else.

They recognise that it can be really worrying when someone you care about is going through a difficult time. They have collated advice to support other people, whilst also looking after your own wellbeing.

This link is for parents or carers who are supporting a young person. 

Young Minds Supporting Parents - Questions to ask your child

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2022, Young Minds produced this great infographic with ideas for Parents and Carers about the kind of questions they could ask their children to start a conversation about their mental health & wellbeing.