Emotional wellbeing and mental health

All children and young people will go through some big changes in their lives that can affect them both physically and mentally. Often we can forget how hard this can be for some children. Add in to the mix any additional needs or disability that a child may have and things can become difficult.

There are times when a child / young person may find themselves a little more fragile or vulnerable than others, such as during the move from one school to another, during puberty, if things change at home, or if there's a bereavement. There are many other times in a child/young person’s life when they might feel like they need some extra help or support. For those with additional needs and disabilities sometimes they need help more often, or sometimes they don't understand that they need help at all. This can be really challenging for their families and carers.

In Shropshire, we have a dedicated service called BeeU that offers a variety of options to help children and young people when their mental health and emotional wellbeing may need some extra attention.

This service is a partnership of The Children’s Society, Kooth, Healios and Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The range of support available includes online forums, an online CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) service, drop-in sessions for young people, and specialist assessment and support via mental health practitioners, including crisis care management.