What is provided

When a child or young person experiences social, emotional, and mental health issues, anxiety, or other difficulties, it often negatively impacts their school attendance, academic performance and emotional and mental well-being. Parents and carers may feel isolated, frustrated, and unsure of how to best support their child or young person during these challenging times.

When a child or young person experiences social, emotional, and mental health issues, anxiety, or other difficulties, it often negatively impacts their school attendance, academic performance, and overall emotional and mental well-being. During these challenging times, parents and carers may feel isolated, frustrated, and uncertain about how to best support their child or young person, leading to added stress for the whole family.

Our aim is to provide parents with a safe, empathic, understanding, and non-judgmental space where they can access support. We strive to create an environment where parents feel heard, valued, and empowered to navigate the challenges they face, knowing that they are not alone in supporting their child or young person.

Our services provide parents and carers with the opportunity to:

• Seek emotional support: Offering a space for parents and carers to express their feelings and gain support from professionals or others in similar situations.

• Share experiences: Connecting with others who are facing similar challenges to share advice, coping strategies, and emotional support.

• Seek advice and guidance: Providing tailored advice and strategies that can be helpful in managing difficulties and supporting the child's or young person's emotional and mental well-being.

By offering these opportunities, we aim to ensure that both children and their families feel supported and empowered to navigate challenges together.

Parents or carers can receive support on a one-to-one basis, either face-to-face or over the telephone, depending on their preference and needs.

For parents whose child or young person has been referred to one of our other services, they will have the opportunity to access weekly one-hour (approx.) one-to-one support sessions. During these sessions, they will be provided with a non-judgmental, trusted, empathic, and respectful space to connect, share their worries and concerns, and help alleviate the isolation they may sometimes feel. Our goal is to offer parents the support and reassurance they need while navigating the challenges they face in supporting their child or young person.

One-2-One support

Cool Kids Programme parent support

Parents of children and young people participating in the Cool Kids Anxiety Programme will have the opportunity to develop their skills in managing and supporting their child or young person’s anxiety throughout the duration of the programme.

The programme is divided into 10 sessions, with each session designed to equip both the child or young person and their parents with tools and strategies for understanding and managing anxiety. Parents will be actively involved in learning how to respond supportively, encourage resilience, and create a positive environment that fosters their child's independence and emotional well-being.

Parent group support

We are developing parent support groups led by parents within the community. To enable parents to have the opportunity to:

· Seek emotional support

· Share experiences with people whom have similar difficulties

· Seek advice and guidance on strategies that others have found helpful