Wellbeing advice
There is plenty of advice and support online for students and families in relation to wellbeing and mental health. These sites have the added benefit of being available 24/7 so that students can be supported both during term time and during school holidays.
We often provide signposting to students and families to some of these sites if either face to face support is challenging or if students would prefer to either take responsibility for managing their wellbeing or would just like to engage in the comfort of their own home.
Links to online advice and guidance are posted on Microsoft Teams for our students to access and any resources aimed at parents are shared via our website or parentmail.
Kooth provides free, safe and anonymous support online for young people related to mental health and wellbeing. This includes 1:1 chat support, forums, journalling advice, podcasts and suggested activities.
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The Mix site provides support and a community for young people through podcasts, discussion boards, free counselling, support groups and articles.
Shout 85258, a free text messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs support, provide crisis support to young people through simple phone messages.
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Mind provides support for young people through their free counselling services, online resources and training for schools including peer mentoring schemes.
Resources include advice sheets, information on transitioning to higher education and movement for mental health.
At Amersham School, a large number of our sixth form students are trained to become Mind Mentors each year and provide valuable peer support to younger students who need someone to talk to about their thoughts or feelings.
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The Anna Freud website provides resources for young people with the aim of empowering them to make informed choices about their mental health and wellbeing. With advice about self care, support, LGBTQI+, dealing with loss and bereavement, and minimising the impact of social media on mental health, the guidance is often written by young people who have been through those situations.
The site also provides advice for families including dealing with adoption, guardianship and fostering, conflict and separation as well as self care for parents.
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Childline is a free, private and confidential service where young people under 19 can talk about anything. They are available online and on the phone, at any time.
The Childline website provides links to counselling on the phone, via email and 1-2-1 chat. There is advice on feelings and emotions, friends, sex and relationships, body issues, family relationships and much more.
There also a number of tools to support wellbeing such as games, quizzes videos, art galleries, message boards and mood journals.
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