A better Medway

We want every child to feel happy in Medway.

There will be times in their life which challenge their mental wellbeing, including:

  • school
  • friends
  • family situations
  • other relationships.

We’re committed to providing children with social activities that contribute towards positive mental health, along with ensuring support services are both in place and accessible for families when extra help is needed.

Top tips to support children's mental health

  • Have a break from your mobile: It can be easy for a child to spend too much time on their mobile. Making time to have a break from their screen time (particular during mealtimes and before they go to bed) can help them to focus and communicate at home. Looking at their mobile excessively before bed can affect your child’s sleep, which can also affect concentration levels at school.
  • Make time to exercise: Getting out with your child at least once a week can be a great bonding exercise, from going for a run to taking up an exercise class. Getting regular fresh air can really help to improve mood.
  • Bedtime: Having a set bedtime routine during the school week is important to help support a child’s development. Make sure they understand the benefits of going to bed at a set time (feeling re-energized and not feeling tired the next day).
  • Family night: Setting a regular family night once a week is a great way to create togetherness and feel-good experiences. Whether it’s a board game night, quiz or movie night, set a date in the diary and reap the benefits.
  • Relaxing the mind: Mindfulness is a great way to escape from the stresses of the day. There are sessions available for children to help look after their mental health. Visit the App Store or Google Play to download a mindfulness app to your phone.
  • Listen: Make time to check how your child is feeling. Asking them how they are will show them that you care about how they feel and can help them to open up if they’re feeling low.
  • Praise them: A child’s self-esteem can be damaged when they do not feel they’re being recognised for good behavior or school achievements. Giving your child praise can help boost the way they feel.

Opportunities for children

There are a range of activities and initiatives available for children across Medway that can help contribute towards good mental health.

Here’s just some of what’s available to help your child be active and feel happy.

Youth clubs provide lots of indoor and outdoor activities throughout the year for children aged 8 years and over.

There are 7 youth clubs available across Medway.

Find your nearest youth club.

Not drinking enough water can make you feel tired and stressed.

Medway Council has partnered with Refill and local businesses to provide free access to water refill.

Find out where you can refill your water bottle for free.

A Better Medway's Healthy Weight Team run FitFix, a free healthy lifestyle course for young people aged 13 years and over.

During the 10 weeks, their friendly instructors will help you to make better food choices and cook healthier versions of everyday meals, from breakfast to fast food.

Find out more about FitFix.

Youth gyms are aimed at 8 to 16 year olds.

There's a range of benefits to help introduce children and young people into youth gyms.

Find out more about youth gyms.

Half-term sports camps offer high quality multi-sport coaching for children aged 7 to 12 years.

The camps take place during the school holidays at Medway's sports centres.

Find out more about sports camps in Medway and how you can book a place.

Little Chefs is a fun filled cookery group for families with children aged 2 to 4 years old.

The sessions help introduce young children into cooking through easy-to-make, nutritious recipes.

They also help to improve your knowledge of food, including where it comes from and the health benefits.

Find out more about Little Chefs.

Tri Cookery is a course that helps school children to learn new cookery skills.

This free 6-week course runs during term time across Medway and is suitable for families with children aged 5 to 17 years old.

Find out more about Tri Cookery.

There are a range of face-to-face and virtual book clubs available across Medway to help you begin reading.

Find out more about book clubs in Medway.

The Legends Programme is for young people aged 11-18 years old.

The programme aims to reduce isolation through weekly youth groups and activities. Informal 1-2-1 mentor support is also available.

Visit the Young Lives Foundation for more information about the Legends Programme.

MedwayGo offers fun holiday activities for children aged 4-16.

Children receiving benefits-related free schools meals can attend these activities for free.

Visit the MedwayGo website for more information.

If you're looking for groups and activities across Medway then Holding Hands can help.

This service is provided by Medway Community Healthcare (MCH).

Visit the MCH website for more information about activities for different age groups.

Youth services offer a variety of sports and other activities for children and young people aged 8 to 19.

Visit our Youth Services page for more information.

Support for children

It’s normal for children to feel anxious or stressed about school.

Whether it’s exams pressure, issues with friends, bullying or worries about life after school, there’s lots of challenges for children that can impact how they feel.

Below are the support services available for children in Medway.

An online mental health community giving free and confidential advice for young people aged 10 to 25 years old.

They are available from 12pm to 10pm weekdays and 6pm to 10pm at the weekends.

Visit the Kooth website for more details.

If your child is feeling anxious, our Release the Pressure service can help.

Text the word ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 for confidential, expert support.

Alternatively, phone 0800 107 0160 (open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).

Visit the Release the Pressure page to find out more.

Mind is a leading mental health charity supporting people of all ages.

They offer support and information about mental wellbeing.

Visit the Mind website to find out more.

Whether you want to understand more about how you’re feeling and find ways to feel better, or you want to support someone who’s struggling, Young Minds can help.

Visit Young Minds to find out more.

Togetherall is for young people aged 16 to 18 in need of mental health support.

It offers an online community that can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

There are also self-assessments and recommended resources, as well as a wide range of self-guided courses young people can do at their own pace.

Visit the Togetherall website for more information.

Moodspark helps young people learn more about their emotions and mental wellbeing.

Visit the Moodspark website for more information.

YPWS works with children and young people in Medway aged 18 years and under with complex mental health difficulties.

Support is tailored to the needs of the child, the young person and their family.

Visit the Medway Young Persons' Wellbeing Service page for more information.

This is an early intervention service for children and young adults aged 4-19.

Young people can also access a school nurse directly by texting ‘Chat Health’ to 07480 635 786.

Visit the Medway Community Healthcare website for more information and eligibility criteria.

NELFT supports children and young people aged 0-19.

This services provides a wide range of mental health support, including:

  • Medway Young Persons Wellbeing Services (CAMHS)
  • Assessment of ADHD and Autism
  • All Age Eating disorder service
  • Learning disabilities service
  • Emotional support teams
  • Online support intervention

Visit the NELFT website for more information about their services.

BeYou is a LGBTQ+ safe space for young people aged 13-25. Group and one-to-one support sessions are available across Medway.

Those interested in one-to-one support can make a request by email: beyou@porchlight.org.uk

Visit the BeYou website for more information.

CHUMS is a bereavement support service for children and young people.

You must be a resident of Medway or Kent, or registered with a Medway/Kent GP practice.

Visit the CHUMS website for more information.

B.R.A.V.E. provides short-term therapeutic support for children and young people aged 5-18.

If you're experiencing low mood, anxiety, or self-harming behaviours, B.R.A.V.E. can help.

Visit the B.R.A.V.E. website for more information.

BEAT is a national organisation offering online support for eating disorders.

Visit the BEAT website for more information.

Alumnia is a free online course for children and young people aged 10-17.

This course helps you better understand and manage self-harm.

Visit the Self Harm website for more information.

If you're struggling with drug or alcohol misuse, we have a variety of resources to help.

Visit our Substance misuse support page for more information.

Support for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

There are a variety of resources to help support children with SEND in Medway. Support is also available for parents and carers.

Below are some of the services available. 

SENDIAS provides impartial support for families and schools to help children with SEND.

They offer training courses, information, and signposting to other relevant services.

Visit the Family Action website for more information.

Small Steps is for children and young people ages 0-18 (and up to 25 for those with a SEND diagnosis). This is an ADHD and autism family support service run by Family Action.

If your child has an ADHD or autism diagnosis, or is undergoing assessment, Small Steps can help.

Visit the Family Action website for more information.

Club AUsome is a safe and supportive community for children and young people with SEND.

Regular social events for a variety of ages are held to provide community support

Visit the Club AUsome website for more information.

An autism focused charity that connects families across Medway.

Regular social events are held to provide community support.

Visit the Medway Puzzles website for more information.

An online support hub for parents and carers of children with SEND.

Visit our SEND Information Hub for more information.

Support for parents

There is also support available for parents to help with their child's mental health.

The NHS offers a range of dedicated support and resources to help parents look after the mental wellbeing of their children.

They also offer support for young people to care for their own mental health.

Visit Every Mind Matters to find out more.

A Better Medway’s Child Health Team offer training to parents and carers through 3 sessions:

  1. managing emotional health and wellbeing for parents and carers

  2. supporting your children with their mental health and wellbeing

  3. supporting a child or young person who is at risk of self-harm.

For more details on registering for one of these sessions, email childhealth@medway.gov.uk.

Parenting advice from Place2Be’s child mental health experts.

It includes practical tips to support children’s wellbeing and behaviour.

Visit Parenting Smart to find out more.

Our free resources for families, parents and carers can help you get involved with Place2Be's Children's Mental Health Week at home.

Visit Place2Be to find out more.

Early Help supports families with:

  • education
  • relationships
  • wellbeing
  • anti-social behaviour
  • domestic violence or abuse.

Visit our Early Help page for more information.

A range of courses, groups, and online advice is available for parents.

This service is provided by Medway Community Healthcare (MCH).

Visit the MCH website for more information.

This service provides short videos and tips for parents to support the wellbeing and behaviour of children.

Visit the Parenting Smart website for more information.

Public Health runs a YouTube channel covering topics related to your child’s wellbeing.

Visit the Public Health Youtube channel to find out more.

Support for professionals

There is also support available for professionals to help with children's mental health.

The updated guidance supports a change in practice to ensure that children, young people, and their families are supported.

Visit the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System website to find out more.

The government’s Plan for Change aims to break down barriers to opportunities. A key element of this plan is to improve support for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing in schools. The government has developed resources to help you develop a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Department for Education (DfE) funded mental health lead training will help you improve your school or college approach to promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing.

A grant to access this training for your mental health leads is available for all state schools and colleges in England.

This training helps schools to plan or improve their whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Find out more about DfE funded mental health lead training.

Resources

A resource hub is available to support you to embed and sustain your whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

It has been updated with new, evidence-based resources for this academic year.

See the mental health lead resource hub.

Support toolkits

You can use the targeted mental wellbeing support toolkit to help you develop and provide effective in-school or in-college targeted support.

See the targeted mental wellbeing support toolkit.

You can also use the whole school and college approach (WSCA) Measurement Toolkit for educational settings.

View the WSCA Measurement Toolkit.

Resources for teachers, parents and carers

Visit the resource page for teachers, parents and carers to support children and young people experiencing difficulties with mental wellbeing and regular school or college attendance.

View resources for teachers, parents and carers about attendance and mental wellbeing in schools and colleges.

More about auditing your school and implementing change.

The framework has been developed to support inclusion of lived experience in our commissioning, delivery and review of services.

View more information about the Lived Experience Engagement and Employment Framework.

A competency framework has been developed for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and has been aligned with the THRIVE framework for system change.

This provides a tool to consider skills, knowledge, attributes and abilities to deliver effective performance when supporting young people.

View the Kent and Medway VCSE competency framework.

Further support

You can find a full list of the services that Medway Council and health partners provide on the children's services page.