How to reclaim a positive mental attitude while parenting in a pandemic
Happy New Year (if it’s not too late to say that)… But it’s more like out of the frying pan into the fire in another national lockdown. This time, the …
Category: Mental Health
More parents seeking children’s mental health support in pandemic, with growing pessimism over support delays
We need to look out for ourselves and others as Child and Adolescent Mental Health waiting times increase warn Karen Wespieser MBE & Dr Jo Taylor As we plunge into …
More than one in three disabled pupils experience bullying in mainstream school, plus other concerning SEND stats
I’ve had a peruse through a new publication from the Department for Education, about the experiences of pupils and their parents regarding various aspects of school. It’s based on survey …
Launching “SNJ In Conversation” First episode: Coronavirus and Disabled children’s mental health
Today we’re launching a new feature: SNJ “In Conversation”. It will feature both videos and podcasts where one or more of the SNJ team interviews someone about an interesting or …
How is the coronavirus lockdown affecting the mental health of children with SEND?
With so many children with SEND finding school an anxiety-inducing experience, has home learning during the coronavirus lockdown helped, or exacerbated the state of their mental health? Families will also …
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 …
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
Poor mental health among young people is a huge, and growing, problem. The causes are all too evident: pressure of school and exams, bullying exacerbated by social media, and our …
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 …