For our disabled children, being brave is a daily necessity
The theme for the 2020 Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, from the Place2Be charity is ‘Find your Brave’. As parents of disabled children, we don’t need to look far to find …
Category: Mental Health
Review: Starving the Depression Gremlin – a CBT workbook
Depression is an increasingly common issue in children and adolescents. Today we’re reviewing Starving the Depression Gremlin – a cognitive behavioural therapy workbook on managing depression for young people by …
It’s NOT your fault: An autistic teen’s comprehensive guide to surviving being bullied
I’m still just 17 and I’ve been bullied at school for most of my life. If you’re autistic or have a learning difference it’s very likely that you’ve been bullied too. …
#WMHD: Preventing suicide in young people
‘You will be too much for some people – Those aren’t your people’ Meme It’s #WorldMentalHealthDay 2019 and the focus this year is Suicide Prevention. Suicide devastates families and the …
Navigating adult mental health services as an autistic young person
I go by the name of Philip Milburn but you are welcome to call me Phil, I’ve spent some of my time interacting with the adult mental health service and …
The emotional impact of parenting a disabled child
Instead of writing my own post for Mental Health Week, I’d like to share my column today with Jo Griffin, a Counselling Psychologist and parent carer. I met Jo through …
How can children be traumatised just by going to school?
In a post titled Send Children Being Traumatised By Not Getting Help Needed in School, Tania recently touched on the subject of SEN children becoming traumatised by the education system. She wrote about …
SEND children are being “traumatised” by not getting the help they need in schools
Watching the parliament TV broadcasts of the SEN Inquiry has been an interesting affair, but yesterday’s brought tears of outrage to my eyes. More on that in a moment. It …
Plans and promises: Will the new NHS really be brighter for disabled children?
Earlier this week the NHS’s Long Term Plan was published. It’s a pretty big document and, as I’ve been away, I’ve not had much chance to investigate in depth about …
“I’ve been bullied at school for most of my life” How Siena’s helping other autistic young people like her
Tania’s note: I really value being able to feature the voice of young people with SEND on SNJ, as we recently did with Lucy, from Ambitious About Autism. Today we’re …
Teens and mental health: being a supportive parent in a wild online world
Today is World Mental Health Day and the theme for 2018 is, ‘young people and mental health in a changing world’ Mental health among young people is a huge, and …
Help! I’m a parent carer and I’m on my VERY last nerve!
With contributions from Angel Kelly, SNJ Mental Health Editor It’s not just tough physically being a parent of a disabled child. The toll on mental health can be extreme. It’s …
Stress and parenting: Don’t fall into the guilt trap
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week from 14-18 May. The Mental Health Foundation is a UK charity that promotes good mental health for everyone and it’s chosen to highlight stress as the …
My autistic son is desperate for a friend, but other kids won’t accept his differences
If, like me, you were a bit ‘different’ at school, you’ll know the loneliness of being the last one picked, the shame of people talking about you unkindly or the …
Why boosting internet safety and promoting children’s mental health go hand in hand
It’s Children’s Mental Health Week, and the charity, Place2Be, have themed 2018 for children, young people and adults to celebrate their uniqueness. It’s all about #BeingOurselves. Place2Be provides emotional and …
Speak your truth on MORE plans to transform children’s mental health care
Mental Health is one of the most challenging areas of the NHS, especially when it comes to providing effective, compassionate help for our children. In December 2017, the government launched …
Good mental health support needs one thing: proper funding
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide. According to the latest estimates from the World Health Organisation, more than 300 million …
Inclusion and putting the ‘Disability’ back into SEND
A leading advocate for inclusive education, Richard Reiser, says he is increasingly concerned about the direction of inclusion in the Children and Families Act. For many parents, special schools are …
To medicate my anxious child or not. It’s an emotive question
My son, Monty, has autism as well as many other, co-morbid conditions. Co-morbidities are conditions which overlap with the ASD diagnosis; for example he has chronic anxiety, ADHD, Tics, Dyslexia …
Interweb Safety Day: The stuff you don’t know as parents but should
The interweb is a big and scary place, and that’s just for the grown-ups. While we think our kids may have it licked because they know all the memes and …
