Jade Delivers Mental Health Assemblies to Primary Schools in West Devon and Cornwall

Uncategorized Mar 29, 2024

 

We wanted to share some of the fantastic feedback Jade has received from her 'Reach For the Stars' assemblies with schools in Devon and Cornwall over the last month! 

Jade has visited over 100 primary and secondary schools and delivered her assembly to over 35,000 students. Here is a short documentary made about Jade and her assemblies, called ‘What’s Your Story’.

Jade has ADHD and faced a huge amount of personal struggle at school, academically, socially and with her own mental health. Between the ages of 9 and 12, Jade fought to overcome severe anxiety and depression which later led to self-harming and an eating disorder. Jade overcame her challenges with the amazing support of her parents, Claire and Joel Sutton, who subsequently founded the Youth Mental Health Foundation. Alongside mental health professionals, Claire, Joel, and Jade created a free online course to guide other parents to better support a young person struggling with mental...

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Meet the YMHF Co-Founders!

 

 

Watch this video to meet the Youth Mental Health Foundation Co-Founders: Claire, Joel, and Jade!

Click here to join our FREE online course to better support a young person struggling with mental health.

 

Who are we?

The Youth Mental Health Foundation is a Devon-based not-for-profit organisation working with young people, families, and the wider community to address the crisis in youth mental health. We are addressing an urgent need for preventative education to build resilience in children, alongside early intervention strategies to prevent mental health challenges from escalating. We are directly supporting families whose young people are in crisis with their mental health, through in-person and online provision. We work with communities across Devon and have a growing national and international reach. The impact of our work is more resilient young people who are less likely to experience severe mental health challenges, and more families who are empowered and equipped...

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6 Things My Parents Did That Helped Me Overcome My Anxiety

 

If you’re a parent supporting your child through anxiety and want to know what kind of support you could give, this post is for you.

As a teenager, I had generalised anxiety disorder, and my parents' support was one of the biggest forces behind my getting better. I want to share what they did that worked well in the hope that it gives other parents in a similar position some guidance.

I’m not going to lie and say that they got it right every single time. They were, I'm sure, just as blindsighted by the situation as I was. So I also hope that if right now you feel like your support isn’t good enough, it’ll be reassuring to read a story where parents learned how to provide support over time.

I never really liked referring to anxiety as ‘generalised anxiety disorder’ - it sounded too clinical and, honestly, a bit frightening. So, borrowing a trick from an old counsellor, I’m going to refer to it as Kevin. In fact, this is something you...

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What Should I Do If My Child Won’t Go To School?

 

If you’re a Mum or Dad of a child who’s refusing to go to school and you’re looking for some guidance, look no further. School refusal, or school anxiety, as it’s called, is immensely stressful, challenging, and distressing for both you and your child.

It might mean that you’re frequently faced with your child’s early morning meltdowns, fits of crying, or maybe even vomiting and nausea. Your head is probably overflowing with tricky questions like, ‘Is it easier if I just keep her home from school?’ or ‘What if he’s missing out on important lessons?’.

A child consistently refusing to go to school is more common than you might think. Especially if your child struggles with their mental health, is often very anxious, or finds it hard to be away from you, they may well find school a daunting and difficult thing to cope with.

Perhaps the school is starting to question you about their low attendance; maybe your own...

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Exciting Announcement! YMHF Take Over Facebook Support Group For Parents of Young People Who Self-Harm.

 

 

Hi everyone - we've got some exciting news!

We are so grateful to have been chosen by Melissa to take forward this amazing Facebook Group to support parents of young people who self-harm.

We plan to be diving into our members' posts to give support and guidance FAR more often, running weekly live Q&As where you can ask for specific advice for your child and LOADS LOADS more.

Watch this space...and remember that if you're currently in a very dark place, hang in there, lean on the rest of us here and know that things can get better.

Sending love to our community and looking forward to supporting you through this chapter.

If you’re a parent or carer in need of support, you can become part of our community by joining our free Facebook Group 'Self Harm - Parents': https://www.facebook.com/groups/339257352865468/

 


For more support and practical advice for you as parents while you support your child or teen, CLICK HERE for the Horizon Plan, our free...

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How To Help Your Child With Their Fears and Phobias

 

If you’re a parent worried that your child’s fears or phobias are negatively impacting their day-to-day mental wellbeing and you want to do something about it, this article is for you. 

Children often face fears and phobias, which can range from common anxieties such as animals, the dark, and heights to more specific fears like clowns, blood, or being sick. In fact, very few of us make it through childhood without any fears. For example, I used to drag my Mum by the hand across the street as soon as I spotted a big dog coming towards us.

But if these kinds of fears are starting to disrupt your child’s sleep, give them extreme nightmares, or cause them daily and debilitating distress, then they could be seriously impacting their mental health. Any fright that is persistent, intense, and causing your child great unhappiness is, of course, something that you want to help them cope with.

In this article, we’ll talk through some ways that...

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Next Week: Information Sessions for Our Zoom Parent Support Programme in Torbay

Uncategorized Mar 02, 2024

 

Are you a Torbay parent or carer supporting a young person aged 8-17 struggling with mental health? 

Anxiety, depression, self-harm, and other mental health struggles are on the rise among young people, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent study shows that 1 in 5 children and young people in England aged 8 to 25 had a probable mental disorder in 2023. As parents, we can be left feeling overwhelmed and helpless, not knowing where to turn for help.

 This 18-session programme will help parents/carers better support a young person struggling with mental health. Thanks to our amazing funders, the programme is free to parents/carers in Torbay.

There are just a few days left to register for our information sessions. Click here to register: www.calendly.com/ymhf/information-session 

 From lived experience and through working with thousands of parents, we have seen the importance of the parent/carer role in a young person's...

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10 Affordable Ways to Support Your Child’s Mental Wellbeing in a Cost of Living Crisis

 

During this cost of living crisis, we’re all juggling caring for our families with skyrocketing bills. But, even when the budget’s tight, your children’s wellbeing is still priority number one. 

So, if you suspect that your child is struggling with their mental or emotional health, but pricey private therapy sessions are out of reach, what are you supposed to do? 

Relying on overburdened free mental healthcare services like the NHS’s CAHMs (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) can feel disappointing given the agonisingly long waiting lists. Fear not, though; there are ways you can support your child’s mental well-being yourself without breaking the bank.

In this article, we’ll explore 10 affordable ways you can nurture your child’s well-being even during these financially challenging times.

#1: Look out for free resources

If only we had unlimited funds, we’d all have a squad of psychologists and private...

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Primary School Assemblies and Workshops in Devon: Building Mental Health Resilience and Self-Esteem

 

This month, the Youth Mental Health Foundation team have been delivering assemblies and workshops to primary schools in Devon.

Thanks to our funders, West Devon Borough Council, Teignbridge District Council, and North Yard Community Trust, we have been visiting local schools to build mental health resilience and self-esteem.

Our school assemblies and workshops have been designed, developed and delivered by Jade Sutton, aged 19, who has lived experience of struggling with, and recovering from, significant mental health challenges. 

Earlier this month, Jade was interviewed on BBC Radio about winning the BBC 'Make A Difference Awards' for her work. You can listen to the interview by CLICKING HERE.

To date, Jade has spoken to over 35,000 young people with her powerful messages to:

  • Improve mental health resilience and self-esteem in young people
  • Destigmatise mental health, making it easier for young people to ask for help
  • Educate young people to accept, respect and...
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How to Talk To Your Son If He’s Struggling With His Emotional and Mental Health

 

Are you struggling to get your son to open up to you? You’re not alone.

It’s deeply worrying when your child isn’t communicating with you. The first thing to say is that, unfortunately, this is very normal. The cultural influences boys grow up around tell them to ‘man up’ when they’re struggling. The ‘boys don’t cry’ mentality has unsurprisingly made them hesitant to talk about their emotions. They often feel under pressure to be self-reliant, so reaching out for support can make them uncomfortable. This ‘macho-mode’ is all well and good until things start to go wrong and you can’t get your son to share his feelings.

The truth is, you can’t force your son to open up to you, and he doesn’t owe you access to his deepest feelings. You need to prove to him that you’re worthy of his confidence by investing time into building a deeper relationship with him. In The Horizon Plan, we call...

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