
Pictures above show a cartoon of two people with a heart and the Service logo
This section contains resources and training aimed for educational settings to support children and young people and their emotional wellbeing.
To see all our latest mental health news go to our homepage.
Workshops and resources to help children understand war and conflict and address their worries
Recognising the collective trauma and heightened anxiety following the dreadful situation in Ukraine, we have gathered the following resources to help support children and young people.
This YouTube video 'Supporting our children in traumatic times', presented by Dr Tina Rae, talks about 11 things we can look out for and do right now to help support children and young people worried about the worsening situation in Ukraine. Also see her blog page for more useful advice.
Useful webinars:
Talking about War and Conflict with Children - a webinar course.
How to Talk with Children and Young People About War - Understanding and Supporting our Refugee Children - hosted by Dr Tina Rae.
How to talk to young people about the war in Ukraine - This free online workshop aims to highlight the importance of communication around the war in Ukraine and to consider the way in which we do this to help young people make sense of what is happening. It will provide practical guidance for having these sensitive conversations.
Dates:
Wednesday 6th April 6pm to 7pm
Podcast: Talking to your children about the Ukraine War
As parents and families we are likely to have been shocked about the devastating situation in Ukraine. Our children will be having conversations with us and others and trying to make sense of what is happening. So how do we talk to our children, who may be different ages and temperaments about this war; in a manner which helps them make sense of what is happening whilst not disproportionately increasing anxieties?
In this podcast episode Dr Beth Mosley (Consultant Clinical Psychologist) both mother and mental health professional, talks with Dr Kelsey Odgers (Clinical Psychologist) and Kelly (mother of two) about these dilemmas and some of the mistakes they might have made as parents during this time.
In their discussion they cover: Right place, right time, right pace to talk. What does this actually look like? How we manage the exposure and time spent on news stories? And, how do we turn feelings into helpful actions.
This recording was made for our Mental Health and You podcast series. Listen to 'Talking to children about Ukraine War' Podcast
Listen to the free Mental Health and You podcast series Or search for ‘Mental Health and You’ on Apple Podcasts.
Ukrainian refugee resources for settings:
Ukraine Talking About War Plan
'Welcome to our school Ukraine translated notices for refugees'
Useful websites and articles:
The British Psychology Society - Supporting children to manage anxiety over war and conflict
The Education Hub - help for teachers and families to talk to pupils about the Russian invasion
Newsround - advice if you're upset by the news
Childline - worries about the world
Supporting refugees | Suffolk County Council
Refugees, war and conflict | Suffolk County Council
Supporting refugees and asylum-seeking children and young people
The UK Trauma Council website has a range of information and resources to help you support refugee and asylum-seeking children who have experienced trauma.
More information can be found on Suffolk County Council | Refugees, war and conflict.
Resources for Supporting Children and Young People
- Psychology and Therapeutic Service (PTS) Supporting Return to Education (Secondary)
- Psychology and Therapeutic Service (PTS) Supporting Return to Education Settings (Nursery & Primary)
- Looking after your mental health and wellbeing and that of the children and young people you support
- Emotional Wellbeing Gateway website
- The Source Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Advice and Resources
- Express Yourself Toolkit - Anna Freud Centre for children and families, has created this toolkit for children, staff and parents.
- Kooth - Provides free online emotional wellbeing support to 11-25 year olds in Suffolk.
- ChatHealth Text Service for 11-19 years olds - Confidential help from a school nurse about any thing, such as advice on health and wellbeing worries, sexual health and bullying.
- PACT Parents and Carers Together - Provide free support to parents and carers of children or young people with a mental health issue.
- What Matters Island worksheet
- Barnardo's phoneline service via the Emotional Wellbeing Hub helpline number - offering general wellbeing information and guidance to families contacting the Hub.
Workshops for school staff and professionals supporting children and young people.
Supporting Suffolk Schools with Mental Health
From the 1st and 2nd September 2022, there will be a number of 60 minute workshops available for school staff to book onto for up-to-date training and guidance on supporting children and young people's emotional wellbeing. For further details and to book your place on to these workshops, download the September PD Workshops Poster.
Anxiety Information and Advice
Five Tips for people with Anxiety
- Five Tips for Children with Anxiety (pdf. 388KB)
- Five Tips for Young People with Anxiety (pdf. 510KB)
- Anxiety in Children and Young People
- The Source Anxiety Advice for Young People
Watch the below YouTube video titled 'Keep Cool', where Young people share and explore how they keep cool when experiencing anxiety:
Training
- How to manage anxiety on the return to school
- Managing Anxiety Workshop Part 1
- Anxiety Workshop Part 2
Anxiety Support Services
Suffolk Mental Health Support Teams have developed a poster, to support all children and young people, who may be experiencing anxiety related symptoms during the pandemic.
The poster is aimed at supporting children at Key Stage 2, we advise that these resources are supported by staff.
Download the 'Feeling worried about Covid 19 Poster'.
Low Mood
Resources
Covid19 Low Mood in Young People (PDF)
Websites
Self-harm toolkit and resources
Please find below available self-harm resources
Useful information and advice pages for parents and carers:
Self-harm in children and young people advice page
The Source website Self-harm advice for young people
Self-harm leaflets:
I feel like hurting myself - A Self-harm z card for young people with advice and support information.
Self-harm - A guide for parents and carers leaflet - This leaflet has been designed with parents to provide helpful information and suggestions at a time when parents and carers may feel confused, powerless or uncertain about how to make sense of their child’s self-harming.
Self-harm resources for professionals and educational settings:
Self-harm Toolkit - This is the online condensed version of the Self-harm toolkit guidance which educational settings can find the full version available to download from the Schools Information Portal. (If your setting needs access to the Schools Information Portal, please email jane.stannard@suffolk.gov.uk)
Sleep Advice Information
For information and advice around helping children and young people sleep better, go to this Sleep Advice page
Bereavement Support
Services and organisations that can help with loss and bereavement:
Cruse Bereavement Care booklets - Child Bereavement Care has a number of booklets for helping children understand about loss on their website. They also have a support line for families (0808 808 1677), and offer training webinars to professionals.
Children and Bereavement - This is an advice page is aimed at parents and professionals from the Emotional Wellbeing Gateway website.
Bereavement and Young People - This advice page is also from the Emotional Wellbeing Gateway website, and is aimed at helping parents and professionals to support a young person who is experiencing loss and grief.
When someone dies - This is a bereavement advice page aimed at young people from The Source website.
Traumatic bereavement resources
The UK Trauma Council, and Anna Freud Centre traumatic bereavement resources - for those supporting pupils and students in schools and FE colleges and those working in clinical settings.
Anna Freud have produced a booklet to help those working with young children and families who have been bereaved.
Watch the below animation titled 'Traumatic Bereavement: Helping children and young people who are struggling in schools & colleges', by the UK Trauma Council.
Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Picture of a cartoon character in a wheel chair, happy with arms up in the air
Find booklets, webinars and resources to help support children and young people with SEND.
UCL (Amelia Roberts) webinar
Supporting our most vulnerable students webinar
Supporting Children and Young People with Autism During Uncertain Times (pdf. 710KB)
Websites:
- Suffolk SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Service) Website
- Suffolk Local Offer Website
Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA)
Having an ELSA in your school will mean you are able to offer interventions and planned programmes of support to children experiencing emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.
To find out more information visit Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) Training and Supervision and Elsanetwork.org
(Picture above reads 'We have a vaccine!' and shows a cartoon of a superhero fighting the bad virus character)
ELSA - We have a vaccine - PowerPoint presentation about COVID vaccine for children.
Emotional Based School Avoidance

Picture above is of a landscape and reads 'Emotionally Based School Avoidance'.
The Psychology and Therapeutic Service has lots of resources available to support children and young people anxious about going to school.
Go to their EBSA Emotionally Based School Avoidance page.
Also see Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) Emotional Based School Avoidance YouTube Webinar
Exam Resilience
Resources and support to help children and young people cope with exams
5 Tips for Families
These family leaflets were co-produced with Suffolk Parent Carer Network SPCN
Five Tips for going back to school
- Five Tips for Families, going back to school with Anxiety (pdf. 489KB)
- Five Tips for Families, going back to school with Autism (pdf. 519KB)
- Going back to Primary School (pdf. 516KB)
- Going back to Secondary School (pdf. 569KB)
Also see:
Five Tips for people with Autism
Also see these useful websites:
Five Tips for coping with Self-Harm
- Five Tips for helping Children that Self-Harm (pdf. 472KB)
- Five Tips for helping Young People that Self-Harm (pdf. 478KB)
Also see:
Five Tips for people with Challenging Behaviour
- Behind Challenging Behaviour in Primary School (pdf. 700KB)
- Behind Challenging Behaviour in Secondary School (pdf. 816KB)
Positive Self-Talk Rainbows
- Positive Self-Talk Rainbows for Primary School (pdf. 998KB)
- Positive Self-Talk Rainbows for Secondary School (pdf. 1.5MB)
Five Ways to Wellbeing
- Find out about the Five Ways to Wellbeing
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