Children’s Mental Health Week

Children’s Mental Health Week is about encouraging uniqueness #BeingOurselves. More HERE

Understanding Depression and Low Mood in Young People

Free online course. Understand how to recognise depression and low mood in teenagers and learn how to help. More HERE

Beyond Adversity

Half of all mental health issues begin before the age of 14. This report from Young Minds suggests that there are fundamental misunderstandings about young peoples’ behaviour which means the problem is not being properly addressed. More HERE

10 things to say instead of stop crying

Crying is OK. More HERE

Support and information dedicated to self-harm recovery, insight and support

SelfharmUK is a project dedicated to supporting young people impacted by self-harm, providing a safe space to talk, ask any questions and be honest about what's going on. More HERE

Mental wellbeing findings from SALSUS 2015

Amongst lots of interesting data 15-year-old girls were considerably more likely than any other sub-group to have a borderline or abnormal emotional problems score. More HERE

Mental Health Strategy – a 10 year vision

This is the Scottish Government's approach to mental health from 2017 to 2027 – with a strong focus on children and young people. More HERE

It’s Children’s Mental Health Week 6-12 February!

The aim of the week is to help everyone spread a little kindness. It may sound simple but in these moments, small acts of kindness can make all the difference. More HERE

Children’s Grief Awareness Day November 17th 2016

Children's Grief Awareness Day seeks to bring attention to the fact that often support can make all the difference in the life of a grieving child. It provides an opportunity for all of us to raise awareness of the painful impact that the death of a loved one has in the life of a child, an opportunity to make sure that these children receive the support they need. More HERE

Aye Mind is on a mission to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people

Aye Mind is about making better use of the internet, social media and mobile technologies, working with young people aged 13 to 21 to create and share a wide range of resources. More HERE

Mental Health and Wellbeing among Adolescents (13 to 15 year olds)

The report finds that friendships and a positive experience of school are the two things most closely aligned with mental wellbeing. Deprivation and poorer physical health both correlate with lower mental wellbeing. More HERE

Transforming mental health services

Dr Olive Moloney blogs about delivering mental health services and support to young people who offend. More HERE

Understanding suicide and self-harm amongst children in care and care leavers

This paper explores why children in care and care leavers are at increased risk of hurting themselves as a result of adverse backgrounds and continuing stress. More HERE

Working with children and adults who may be at risk of self-harm

This document is aimed at a range of professionals and foster carers and kinship carers where there is a concern that children or adults are involved in self-harming behaviours. More HERE

The HandsOnScotland Toolkit

This is an online resource for anybody working with children and young people. It is a one-stop shop for practical information and techniques on how to respond helpfully to children and young people's troubling behaviour, build up their self-esteem and promote their positive mental wellbeing. Take me to this resource HERE

The Children’s Future Food Inquiry

What children eat is a major cause for concern. In the context of high levels of child poverty, the Inquiry was initiated to hear directly from children, young people and those who live and work with them about children’s experiences of food and how it affects their lives. Share your views now. More HERE

More children and young people seeking help for eating disorders

ChildLine report a 22% rise in counselling sessions provided regarding eating disorders. More HERE

Start a Fairtrade Breakfast Club

With a Traidcraft Breakfast Club you ensure farmers around the world are paid fairly. More HERE

Food for Life

Resources provide a whole school/agency approach to food to enrich learning with children and communities. More HERE

Dignity: Ending Hunger Together in Scotland

An independent group explores food poverty: the right to food is understood as a matter of justice rather than charity. More HERE

Better Eating, Better Learning

This sets the agenda for improving food education and school food in Scotland over the next decade. BEBL plays a vital part in Scotland’s vision of becoming a Good Food Nation. More HERE

Beyond the School Gate - Improving Food Choices in the School Community 

New guidance for local authorities, schools, retailers, caterers and other partners on what they can do to influence the food environment around schools and support children and young people to make healthier choices. More HERE

Better Eating, Better Learning - A New Context for School Food

Refreshed guidance to support schools, local authorities, caterers, procurement departments, parents, children and young people to work in partnership to make further improvements in school food and food education. The guidance sits alongside a new self-evaluation tool for schools, local authorities and caterers. More HERE

Nutritional Guidance for Children and Young People in Residential Care Settings

This guidance adopts a holistic approach to health and wellbeing and acknowledges the concept of a 'health promoting environment' similar to that established within health promoting schools. This guidance is relevant to anyone who has a part to play in the health and wellbeing of children and young people living in residential care. Go HERE

As part of the process. Who Cares? Scotland researched the experiences of children and young people living in residential care. Young people’s views go HERE

Beat - eating disorders website

Beat is a UK charity for people with eating disorders and their families. Beat is the working name of the Eating Disorders Association. Take me to this resource HERE

What works on drug education?

This literature review examines the evidence of effectiveness of different types of drug prevention and education delivered in schools. More HERE

Alcohol and young people report

From the SALSUS survey the proportion of young people who have ever had an alcoholic drink has decreased again but there is an increase in the proportion of 13-year-olds reporting being drunk in the past week. More HERE

Drugs and young people report

From the SALSUS survey drug use prevalence has remained stable, except for 15-year-old boys, and there is an increase in the availability of drugs since the last wave of the survey. More HERE

Smoking and young people report

From the SALSUS survey smoking prevalence amongst young people continues to drop, but slowly for girls. More HERE

E-cigs, vaping and young people

There is a legal prohibition on under 18s using devices but they are doing so. ASH Scotland and youth work partners have issued guidance. Download pdf HERE

New resource for young people affected by harmful parental drinking

A.D.A.M. (Another’s Drinking Affects Me) is a website for young people aged 11 to 16. More HERE

SALSUS Education resource

SALSUS reports on a range of topics around young people’s smoking, drinking and drug use. A teaching aid has been produced to allow young people and their teachers to easily connect with the results of the survey and to explore related issues. Download the pdf HERE

Information on New Psychoactive Drugs

Crew have recently updated their information for professionals and young people on current commonly used substances, harm reduction and referral advice. Downlaod the pdf HERE

Focus on smoking and young people

ASH Scotland has produced a page of resources aimed at young people who wish to stop smoking. The webpage breaks down resources into age appropriate categories. More HERE

The Y-STEP smoking prevention Education CD Rom provides resources and materials linked to  Health and Wellbeing experiences and outcomes around substance misuse (for P6 to S3 pupils) More HERE

Teenage drinking cultures

This report investigates the influence of friendship groups on teenagers' drinking. Go HERE

'drugs - what every parent should know'

Information booklet suggests ways to engage with young people, gives information about drugs and identifying drugs use, and what to do in an emergency. Visit Know The Score website for general information,  or call the helpline on 0800 587 5879, for copies of the leaflet.

NEW - Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood resource

A national resource is being developed to support RSHP learning. Educators are being asked to ‘get involved’ in testing new material. More HERE

Young people’s views on their RSHP learning

Research has been carried out in the Lothians to find out young people’s views, the research makes an interesting read and the last page shows what young people think the ‘best’ RSHP lesson ever would look like.  More HERE

Healthy Respect Website

Healthy Respect provides sexual health information, support and advice in the Lothians. The Healthy Respect Team have re-launched the resource for young people and professionals. More HERE

Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education in Schools

Scottish Government has published new Guidance which reflects the need for discussion of all types of relationships as part of RSHP education. Download the pdf HERE

Young People's Knowledge and Understanding about Sexual Health and Blood Borne Viruses - Research Findings

Survey of S3-S6 pupils in Scotland about how often they have been taught about sexual health in school, what their understanding is, and how they think they will use this understanding in the future. More HERE

Provision of HIV Prevention to Young Gay and Bisexual Men Report

The LGBT Youth Scotland and NHS Lothian report summarises views and experiences of young gay and bisexual men in relation to sexual health, HIV, services and information. More HERE

Children, young people and 'sexting'

NSPCC commissioned study exploring young people's views and experiences of how sexually explicit texts and images are produced, circulated and used through mobile phones and the internet and how these practices shape the offline lives of young people. Download the pdf HERE

Underage and Pregnant packs

BBC Learning has compiled resource packs featuring footage from the BBC programme ‘Underage and Pregnant’.  Both the Teacher's Pack and the Youth Pack (designed for use in more informal settings) contain exercises that address different aspects of teenage pregnancy, sexual health, relationships and parenting. More HERE

Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Resource for Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This resource aims to help everyone involved in delivering sex and relationship education to those with an autism spectrum disorder. Go HERE

Sexual health interventions targeted at children and young people

Which approaches have been proved to improve the sexual health and wellbeing of children and young people? Go HERE

Learning Together: A review of sex and relationship education resources for parents and carers

The comprehensive review includes resources and publications suitable for 3 – 18 year olds and will help professionals provide information and support to parents in this area of children and young people’s learning. To order a copy, email nhs.healthscotland-wish@nhs.net

Sexual health leaflets

New information leaflets on chlamydia, vaginal health, genital herpes, gonorrhea and genital warts are now available form NHS Health Scotland. Translations available soon. Take me to this resource HERE

Sport for change

New research into the role that sports and physical activity can have in bringing about positive change in communities. More HERE

Scotland’s children inactive compared to others

Scotland had one of the best environments and infrastructure for outdoor play. But is amongst the worst for exercise, and for the amount of time children spend in front of screens. More HERE

Get children playing outdoors

Playing outdoors improves academic success and reduces obesity yet the Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Card 2016 has found that children’s physical activity levels are continuing to fall well short of recommended levels. More HERE

The Active Healthy Kids Scotland Report Card 2016

This ‘state of the nation’ report on the physical activity and health of Scottish children and adolescents, evidencing significant challenges in terms of sedentary behaviour, low levels of physical activity and obesity. More HERE

Play Maps

Play Maps is a resource designed to help Community Planning Partnerships plan for play. More HERE

Measuring the impact of the two hours/two periods physical education programme

The research shows that practitioners, PE Lead Officers and local authority representatives believe these initiatives have had a positive impact in schools across Scotland.  More HERE

Sport strategy for children and young people

With contributions from Children’s Parliament, SCCYP and Young Scot the Scottish Government commits to sport for all. More HERE  

Safe sport events, activities and competitions 

The Child Protection in Sport Unit publicationhelps ensure that you meet the safeguarding responsibilities for events and take steps to promote the wellbeing of all participants, including as volunteers or officials. More HERE

Start Active, Stay Active

Start Active, Stay Active is aimed at professionals and policy makers and is the first link in a chain of communication to inform behaviour change. Download the PDF HERE

Online Resources for Outdoor Learning

Includes best practice and health and safety guides. Go HERE

Taking Learning Outdoors: Partnerships for Excellence

This report considers how to prove the value of outdoor learning and how to improve its quality, capacity and access. Take me to this report HERE

Deaths after adolescent admissions to hospital for adversity related injury

Adolescents with emergency hospital admissions due to self-inflicted injury or alcohol/drug related injury as opposed to accident-related admission are at more risk of death the decade after. More HERE

Infographics on Teenage Lifestyle Trends from SALSUS

From talking about concerns to key leisure activities to feeling pressure. More HERE

The ICE Pack: Knowing Me, Knowing You

This comprehensive and engaging resource has been written in collaboration with a range of early years and primary professionals and provides a building block approach to children’s social and emotional learning about themselves and others. Download PDF HERE

When a child can’t go to school due to ill health

Enquire, the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning, has recently produced a new factsheet about what should happen in such circumstances. More HERE

Diabetes Improvement Plan

The plan sets out the priorities and actions to deliver improved prevention, treatment and care for all people in Scotland affected by diabetes including children and young people. More HERE

Why Children Die campaign

Each year approximately 350 to 450 children die in Scotland, and while we know that not all of these deaths can be avoided, we do know that risk of death during childhood and adolescence is amenable to public policy and public health interventions. More HERE

Latest WHO report into the health of adolescents

Adolescence is one of the most rapid phases of human development. The 2nd edition of the WHO report into the health of adolescents has been published. More HERE

Guidance on Health Assessments for Looked After Children in Scotland

This guidance will assist those involved in carrying out health assessments of our looked after children and young people. It sets out the minimum standardised elements of a health care pathway expected, requiring collaboration across agencies. More HERE

How healthy behaviour supports children’s wellbeing

This briefing from Public Health England focuses on the association between health behaviour and wellbeing in children. The evidence has found links between physical activity, screen time, healthy eating and wellbeing. Download pdf HERE

Health and Wellbeing 3-18 curriculum Impact Report

This report evaluates current practice in the aspects of health and wellbeing that are the responsibility of all staff and adults who work with learners. It identifies good practice and highlights important areas for further discussion and development. More HERE

World report on disability

The first ever World report on disability, produced jointly by World Health Organisation and the World Bank, suggests that more than a billion people in the world today experience disability. The report provides the best available evidence about what works to overcome barriers to health care, rehabilitation, education, employment, and support services, and to create the environments which will enable people with disabilities to flourish. The report ends with a concrete set of recommended actions for governments and their partners. Download the PDF HERE