Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs are a type of special educational need where a child can communicate through behaviour or responses. Overcoming this barrier can help children manage their emotions or their behaviour.
You can support your child by:
- Using a social stories to help you to talk to your child about emotions or incidents (including the virus) can be found on STARS website.
- Encouraging them to take care of their bodies. If they are feeling anxious or stressed, encourage them to take deep breaths, stretch, or practise mindfulness. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, take regular exercise, and stick to regular sleep patterns and routines, where possible. You could take part in Yoga activities on Youtube or sign up to Cosmic Kids Yoga.
- Helping them find time to unwind and participate in activities that they enjoy. Mindfulness colouring can be supportive, as can communal jigsaws, or family games.
- Encourage them to talk with you about any concerns they have and how they are feeling.
Useful website links:
- Mental health.org - Looking after mental health and wellbeing
- Young Minds - Supporting your child
- NHS - support charities
- CAMHS resources
The Thrive Approach
The Thrive Approach Thrive is a specific way of working with all children that helps to develop their social and emotional well-being, enabling them to engage with life and learning. It supports them in becoming more self-assured, capable and adaptable. It can also address any troubled, or troubling, behaviours providing a firm foundation for academic attainment.
Positive relationships are at the heart of Thrive. We use these relationships, together with play and creative activities, to give children key experiences at each different stage of their development. We have two Thrive practitioners at Kingsham, Mrs Keenoy and Mrs Jackson, who take groups and individuals for Thrive sessions to build on their emotional development. Both practitioners are able to discuss with you how to best support emotional development.
Repetition of these activities supports their development, helping them to:
• feel good about themselves and know that they matter
• increase their sense of security and trust
• increase their emotional well-being
• improve their capacity to be creative and curious
• increase their self-esteem and confidence to learn
• learn to recognise and regulate their feelings
• learn to think before behaving in a certain way
If you want to find out more about the Thrive Approach:
Join their Facebook group to join the Thrive community!
Look at the Thrive approach on their website or their parents and carers page.
Please also look in the Pupils Resources tab, well-being resources, for lots more ideas.