Be kind to my mind for Parents & Carers

As parents and carers we play an important role in teaching children and young people how to understand and manage their feelings as they grow up. It’s normal for your child to feel angry, sad, worried or stressed sometimes, however, if they’re struggling to cope with those feelings, they might need support.

Below contains a range of advice, guidance and resources for you to support your child with their feelings and behaviour, as well as mental health conditions and life events. You can also find instant access to Bolton’s service directory which will allow you to filter for services available for you or your child.

ADHD

If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, they may often seem unusually restless, impulsive or distracted. They may speak or act without thinking, struggle with organisation, find it hard to focus or appear to be always on the go. Some people with ADHD do not experience hyperactivity though, and this is sometimes called attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear that is experienced as a combination of physical sensations, thoughts and feelings. All children and young people feel worried sometimes, and this is a normal part of growing up. At certain points, such as on their first day of school or before an exam, young people may become more worried, but will soon be able to calm down and feel better.

Autism

Autism is a developmental condition that can affect children and young people in different ways. It often impacts how they see the world and interact with other people.

Depression

Your child may be feeling depressed if their sadness and low mood has persisted for a period of time making day to day life difficult and overwhelming.

Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses which are often as a result of coping with difficult situations. There are lots of different types of eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and avoidant/restricted food intake disorder.

Gender Identity and Sexuality

Gender identity is how your child describes their gender and wants others to refer to them. Sexuality is how they would describe the sexual, emotional and physical feelings they have towards another person.

Who you can speak to...

Across Bolton there are lots of services that can help support you, your friends’ and your families’ mental health and emotional wellbeing. Take a look at our directory to find out what is available.

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