April 2024

Hello, I hope you've all had a wonderful Easter break and manged to take some time to feel rested and restored. This month, there's a lot happening around the topic of loneliness, especially considering the World Health Organisation declaration around this pressing topic. Be sure to check out this month's spotlight for more information on this important issue.  Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week takes place at the end of the month. To share our support, I'd like to draw to your attention the "opportunities" section, where you'll find details on how to book on an upcoming lunch and learn event. This event will focus on providing key service information for perinatal mental health, and parent infant relationships in Barnsley. Additionally, Healthwatch is conducting a short survey to gather insights on which health and social care issues you think they should focus on. You can find the survey link in the  "opportunities" section, so please take a moment to share your thoughts if you can. We hope you enjoy this edition of the newsletter. Enjoy the rest of the month... and as we enter spring, we might start to get some glimmer of sunshine and see fewer rainy days ahead, fingers crossed (!) Don't forget to share and distribute this newsletter amongst your colleagues and network. Thank you for your continued support. Lisa (CYP Public Health, Project Officer, Barnsley Council)

This monthly provider bulletin is developed by the Children and Young People's Public Health Team, supplying relevant information to you.

To receive future issues of the bulletin by email or share your stories with us, please email publichealthcyp@barnsley.gov.uk

Loneliness. It’s a part of life. Let’s talk about it.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) recently launched the next phase of their loneliness campaign activity, as part of the Better Health: Every Mind Matters, campaign. The campaign primarily aims to reach 16-24 year olds, one of the most at risk audience groups. It aims to reduce the stigma of loneliness, increase knowledge of where to find support and encourage taking action. Resources can be found on their website.

Why are young people lonely - Podcast

We all experience loneliness to some degree but there is still stigma around it. Our awareness of loneliness has spiked since the COVID-19 pandemic when many people were isolated due to restrictions on movement and socialising. Media coverage has recently claimed we’re experiencing an epidemic of loneliness, and in November 2023, the World Health Organisation declared loneliness a global threat.

But even prior to the pandemic, research has shown that young people experience higher rates of loneliness compared to all other age groups.

Dr. Kathryn Bates, researcher Dr. Lily Verity and activist Molly Taylor discuss why there are such high rates of loneliness in young people and how we can combat it.

Listen to this insightful podcast here.

HOME offers various activities throughout the week for children and young people to participate in. You can learn more by checking out their activity schedule online. Additionally, they host several wellbeing drop-in sessions, which you can find more details about on their website. Please share this information with any children and young people you work with, especially those experiencing feelings of loneliness. It could be a great opportunity for them to make new friends and access any support they might need.

Referrals into HOME can also be made on their website and a member of their team will get back in touch to discuss what they offer. 

Changing childhoods, changing lives -Barnardo's Report

In this report, Barnardo's highlight some of the biggest challenges facing children and young people today and explain how they are driving the change needed now and in the years to come.  In February 2024, Barnardo’s commissioned a YouGov poll of 1001 children aged 14-17 across Great Britain. They were asked to imagine themselves aged 30 and answer a set of questions about what their lives would be like at that age. Barnardo’s found that 55% of children responding believe that their generation will not be as well off as their parents. 34% think their own children will be even worse off than they are and 61% don't think they will own their own house. 24% think they'll still be at home with their parents and 10% in shared accommodation. The report calls for a number of changes that need to be made to address the ongoing challenges affecting children. Read the report.

Last year the NSPCC reported a 10% increase in young people receiving counselling support for exam stress and Kooth's own data shows that almost 20% of young people visiting Kooth seek help about school/ college issues or exam stress.

With many young people preparing for their upcoming exams this term, please let them know that Kooth is here to help with any stress or anxiety they may be feeling.

They offer 24/7 instant access to anonymous and personalised mental health support to young people at Kooth.com, including those who do not meet thresholds or are on a waiting list for CAMHS or NHS Talking Therapies.

Take a look at their promotion hub for charities and social care for their full range of digital resources, including a support guide on coping with exam stress.

Support for Parents and Carers webinar

Kooth are running webinars specifically to help parents and carers with children sitting exams. Please share these webinar dates with your networks, especially if they are worried about their child’s anxiety:  

• Mon 22 Apr. 1-2pm
• Thu 25 Apr. 6-7pm

The Violence Reduction Unit's Newsletter

The Violence Reduction Unit's newsletter is now available! Click here, to read about all the fantastic work they've been doing.

Please take time to have a look and share with your networks Chilypep's updated OPEN UP Directory for 2024. This can also be accessed and downloaded from the Chilypep website. 

Coram have launched a free wellbeing toolkit for primary school children

Coram Life Education is a charity provider for relationships, health, wellbeing, and drugs education to children across the UK. Coram Life Education and SCARF offers a whole-school approach to wellbeing and mental health.  The Coram Group have launched a free online wellbeing toolkit for primary schools designed to support children’s mental wellbeing and boost resilience. The toolkit contains resources and activities which aim to help children connect with others, be active, be mindful, learn and create, and give to others.

Find out more and access the resource.

OCD and the brain

OCD Action have launched a new information hub that aims to bridge the knowledge gap that often exists between OCD research and the OCD community. Their website contains an animation, a toolkit with engaging visuals and information about what we currently know about OCD and the brain, OCD resources, and information about the project and the team behind it. This new hub will be freely available to all.

Access the information hub

LUNCH AND LEARN: Barnsley Perinatal Mental Health and Parent Infant Relationship Event

Do you want to learn more about what is happening around perinatal mental health and parent infant relationships in Barnsley?

If so, please attend this upcoming lunch and learn information event, focused on providing key service information for perinatal mental health, and parent infant relationships in Barnsley. This session is open to anyone working in Barnsley, who wants to learn more about what we have locally to support this remit, and how to make use of these services to support local people.

The event is on Tuesday April 23 from 12pm to 1.45pm on Microsoft Teams

Services are presenting from:

• Barnsley Council- Family hubs and 1001 days team
• NHS
• NSPCC
• Talking Therapies
• Barnsley Perinatal Service
• Dads Matters

To attend, please email jessicaclarke1@barnsley.gov.uk to receive the teams link.

Free Trauma Informed Practice Training

Kids Inspire are running some free online trauma informed training sessions in April and June. The sessions are suitable for anyone who supports children and young people including parents/carers, educators, health professionals, social workers and community workers. The two courses are ‘Understanding and supporting children and young people impacted by trauma’ and ‘Trauma through the lens of neurodiversity’. Find out more and book your free place.

Take part in a new family and young people survey by Speech and Language UK

Young people with speech and language challenges and their families are often unheard in discussions about provision of services, including mental health services.

Speech and Language UK have launched a survey to hear from them about their lives and experiences, and the challenges they face with talking and understanding words.

The survey will help inform future campaigns and help make sure all children have access to the support they need. If you work with family members and young people with speech and language challenges, please share this survey with them and help them reach as many people as possible.

Find out more and take part.

What health and social care issues do you think Healthwatch Barnsley should focus on?  What matters the most to you and your family? Healthwatch need to hear your voice and make it count! Please spare us 2 minutes and fill out our short survey here. The survey closes on Friday 31 May 2024.

April is Stress Awareness Month - Little By Little, A Little Becomes A Lot

The theme for this year's stress awareness month is #LittleByLittle, which celebrates the profound impact of small, consistent positive actions on overall wellbeing. The Stress Management Society underscores the importance of taking small steps each day toward self-care and stress reduction. These seemingly minor adjustments to your daily routine can lead to significant improvements in mental health over time.

So why not make a start this month to make manageable changes in your daily habits, which might only seem small but will have  big impact on your wellbeing. 

Free resources can be found on their webpage. 

Why not try some meditation to help de-stress

Try a new 10 minute guided meditation session, fill your day full of gratitude and relaxation through meditation techniques.

Are you feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Why not try this 10 minute meditation session designed to reduce stress.

Why don’t you try a visualisation meditation? These are usually a little longer as you delve deeper into a calm state of consciousness. Try this Magical Forest meditation.

10 stress busters

NHS have suggested 10 stress busters on their website, which also includes an audio guide, whereby a doctor helps you to replace negative thoughts with more positive thinking, and another which explains what you can do to give yourself the best chance of a good night's sleep.

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday 29 April to Sunday 5 May and this years theme is ‘Rediscovering You'. The week-long campaign is dedicated to talking about mental health problems before, during and after pregnancy and will aim to raise the public and professional awareness of perinatal mental health problems, advocate for women and families impacted, change attitudes, and help people access the information, care and support they need to recover.

Find out more.

If you would like to share any news or updates, please send it to publichealthcyp@barnsley.gov.uk

We're happy to include photographs, but please make sure you have the agreement of anyone included in them.