Health and wellbeing for parents and carers
Information for parents and carers to support their children’s health and wellbeing
including websites, factsheets, resources and workshops
Produced by Camden’s Health and Wellbeing Team
Emotional and Mental Health Support
Mental Health Camden
A comprehensive website developed by Camden NHS to support mental health.
You can type in any topic into the search box and you will be directed to relevant resources/services available.
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Supporting children and families’ mental and emotional health.
Groups help parents manage their child’s behaviour and help their child manage their emotions, promote their child’s resilience and wellbeing, including top tips for parents.
Charlie Waller Trust
Website developed by Charlie Waller Trust with practical tools and strategies to help parents support young people’s mental health. Key areas include, depression, anxiety, tips for supporting a child with a mental health problem and nutrition and mental health.
Connecting Parents’ Hub
For parents / carers of Under 5’s in North London – run by parents / carers
A friendly and supportive free drop-in group offering parents and carers the opportunity to connect and collaborate with each other and other organisations as well as providing activities for children.
Grief Encounter
How to talk sensitively to your child/young person about death.
Open Minded (formerly CAMHS)
Support for children and adolescents (up to 18 years old) experiencing emotional health and wellbeing problems. Self-referrals and referrals from GPs. Parents can call to discuss support options for their children, and adolescents.
- https://tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/care-and-treatment/our-clinical-services/open-minded-camden-camhs/
- South Camden 020 8938 2700
- North Camden 020 8938 2233
Young Minds
Advice and tips for parents about supporting children and young people going through challenging times.
Every Mind Matters
Top tips and practical resources to help look after a child or young person’s mental health. Includes going back to school, signs something is wrong, looking after your own mental health and how to get support.
NSPCC
Advice for parents on how to spot the signs a child is struggling with their mental health and what you can do to help. Also how to recognise the signs of self harm and how to support them.
Information on how you can keep children safe from abuse and other dangers, both online and in the physical world.
Using the “PANTS” (underwear) rule is a simple way that parents can help keep children safe from abuse. The PANTS guide for parents is available in different languages.
Educare (part of TES)
The EduSafe® resources are a bank of free online resources written by experts that gives key information about important topics, signs to look for and where to go for extra support.
Topics include:
- Dealing with bereavement and loss
- Substance misuse risk
- Mental wellbeing
- Food hygiene and safety
- Low mood and depression
- Understanding self harm
- Healthy Lifestyles
- Changing bodies
- Serious youth violence
- Understanding anxiety
- EduSafe | Parents and Carers (educare.co.uk)
Physical Activity, Healthy Eating and Oral Health
Sport and Physical Activity Clubs
For information on local sports centres, swimming, sports clubs and Camden Active Communities please visit:
Cycle Training for Children, Children Building Cycle Confidence, Children and Families Urban Cycling Skills
Camden Cycle Skills teaches the above free courses to ensure essential bike riding skills for children and families.
For further information please contact:
- Cycle skills and bike maintenance courses - Camden Council
- * cycletraining@camden.gov.uk
- 020 7974 1451. Register for a course here
Sport England
Tips, advice on guidance on how to support children and young people to keep or get active.
School Games: Active Recovery
The School Games website includes lots of activities that can be done at home to increase the amount of physical activity for young people and families.
Oral Health – NHS Website
A regular teeth-cleaning routine is essential for good dental health. For tips on how you can keep your children’s teeth decay-free please go to:
British Nutrition Foundation
Advice and support on:
- Health and varied diet for children
- Healthy weight
- Diet and dental health
- How much salt?
- School food
- Vegetarian and vegan diets
- Children - British Nutrition Foundation
Healthy Eating and the Eat Well Guide
Healthy eating advice including the Eat Well Guide, top tips and useful websites.
African and Caribbean Eatwell Guide:
The Diverse Nutrition Association were inspired to create this adapted guide after listening to feedback and frustrations in the African and Caribbean community; along with a passion of making dietary advice more inclusive. The aim therefore, is to use the guide to show recognisable food equivalents within the allotted food groups, so that people know there are healthy foods across all cultures, no matter where someone is from.
- Click here for a free copy of the African and Caribbean Eatwell Guide
- https://www.diversenutritionassociation.com/
Healthy Lifestyle Sessions run by the Camden and Health Wellbeing Team
The Camden Health and Wellbeing Team run free sessions to support children and families to make healthy lifestyle choices. By clicking on the links in the titles below you can download our latest flyer for free 'virtual' (online) sessions in January, February, March 2022
Starting Solids – This free session supports parents of babies who have not yet started solid foods on when, what and how to start solids.
Starting Solids Next Steps - For parents / carers of babies who have started solids and would like to know how to move baby onto more textured foods and overcome challenges.
Families for Life Early Years - Sessions are for families with children aged 2 to 4 years, covering topics such as fussy eating and understanding sugar and labels.
Family Kitchen - Join our free 90-minute online cooking sessions! Available for families with children aged 5 to 11 years. Start dates are continuous, register to be contacted for the next one!
Webinars and cookalongs – Pre-recorded educational sessions and cook-along for the whole family to watch, in their own time.
For more information or to book a session, call 020 7974 6736 or email healthandwellbeingteam@camden.gov.uk
Camden Healthy Living Service
One to one weight management and healthy living skills support for children who are overweight or very overweight (BMI centile 96th - 98th) and their family.
020 3317 2304
Online Safety
Online Safety - Good Thinking
Digital wellbeing site for Londoners with range of NHS-approved wellbeing apps, as well as workbooks, guides, podcasts and blogs to help you and your family.
Think You Know
Information, support and guidance from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command. Includes advice on protecting children from abuse online, supporting parents who are concerned their child may be the victim of sexual abuse; direct contact for parents to report concerns around sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and online abuse.
Internet Matters
Comprehensive website helping parents keep their children safe online.
Online Safety
Asthma
Asthma UK
Advice and support to help children stay well with asthma.
Asthma Overview on the NHS Website
Information on symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment and living with asthma.
Immunisations
Key immunisation information for children and young people from Public Health England and the NHS including: