Our previous wellbeing newsletter highlighted the importance of talking to young people about mental health and recommended finding a calm space, giving full attention, listening and asking questions, and asking how you can help.  

Those principles are especially relevant to this year’s World Mental Health Day theme. 

World Mental Health Day does not need to involve a big event. A few ordinary, positive moments together can help families connect and can open the door to conversations that might otherwise not happen. 

• Take a wellbeing walk – Go for a short walk together and each notice three things you can see, two things you can hear and one thing you appreciate. 

• Have a screen-light hour – Choose an hour when everyone, adults included, puts devices aside. Cook, play a game, go out, listen to music or simply talk. 

• Try a ‘high, low, hope’ check-in – Each person shares one good thing from the week, one difficult thing, and one thing they are looking forward to. 

• Do something your young person chooses – Let them choose the film, meal, walk, game or activity. Joining their world can be a powerful way of showing interest. 

• Create a family wellbeing menu – Write down simple things that help each person when they are stressed: music, exercise, quiet time, a shower, drawing, baking, gaming with friends, being outdoors or talking. 

• Make one plan to look forward to – It does not need to cost anything. Having something positive in the diary can give the week ahead a helpful point of focus.

Small moments together can make a big difference. 

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PARENTS & CARERS 

• Protect sleep. Teenagers’ routines can easily drift. Encourage a reasonably consistent bedtime and wake time, a wind-down period, and—where possible—some distance between phones and sleep. 

• Notice changes, not just crises. Look for patterns such as persistent withdrawal, irritability, changes in sleep or appetite, loss of interest, falling attendance, or a young person seeming unlike themselves over time. 

• Keep routines steady. Predictable routines around meals, school, homework and sleep can provide security, particularly when other parts of life feel uncertain. 

• Make room for recovery. Busy young people need genuine downtime. Rest is not laziness; it is part of maintaining wellbeing. 

• Support movement without pressure. Activity can help mood and stress, but it does not have to mean organised sport. Walking, stretching, dancing or being outdoors all count. 

• Talk about online life without judgement. Ask what they enjoy online as well as what worries them. Curiosity is more likely to keep communication open than interrogation. 

• Model the habits you hope to see. Young people notice how adults manage stress, phones, sleep and boundaries. Small changes made together can feel fairer and more achievable. 

• Keep expectations realistic. During stressful periods, help break tasks into manageable steps and recognise effort as well as outcomes. 

A useful reminder:  

Self-care can support wellbeing, but it is not a substitute for professional help when a young person is struggling significantly or there are concerns about their safety. 

• Keep contact warm and ordinary: offer food, a lift, a cup of tea, a walk or company without making every interaction about wellbeing. 

• Use observations rather than assumptions: “I’ve noticed you seem quieter this week” is often easier to hear than “I know something is wrong.” 

• Offer choices about who they speak to. It may be easier to talk to another trusted adult, relative, tutor or member of the pastoral team. 

• Try another format. Some young people find it easier to text, write something down or talk side-by-side rather than face-to-face. 

• Return to the conversation later. A calm “You don’t have to talk now, but I’m here when you want to” keeps the door open. 

Listening does not mean agreeing with every interpretation or removing every difficulty. It means taking a young person’s feelings and experience seriously, staying curious, and helping them feel safe enough to keep communicating.

At Little Heath, we want students to know that there is always someone they can speak to. Listening to students is not an ‘extra’ to wellbeing work—it is fundamental to it. We want young people to feel heard, respected and involved in conversations about the support that may help them.

This weekend, perhaps the most valuable thing we can give a young person is time: time to talk, time to be heard, and time to be together.

Thank you, as always, to our parents and carers for the part you play in supporting the wellbeing of our young people and for working in partnership with us.

NATIONAL HELPLINES

CHILDLINE	0800 1111 ChildLine.org.uk
THE MIX	0808 808 4994 www.themix.org.uk
THE SAMARITANS	116 123 www.samaritans.org
SHOUT www.giveusashout.org	The UK’s 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis, anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help. TEXT SHOUT to 85258