Pinvin Pre School

Nurturing hearts and minds
on a path of possibilities 

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Supporting your child's emotional and mental health

Nature Walks

Our children's emotional and mental health is fragile and we want to do everything possible to build up their resilience to adapt to the changes they encounter in their lives.


At Pinvin Community Preschool we have a strong focus on well-being.  We want the children to be present, to slow down and take notice of the world around them, to learn from their environment.  Part of our daily routine includes a nature walk, whatever the weather.  The benefits to everyone's health, be this physical or mental is tremendous.  Children are encouraged to explore with all of their senses and our experienced practitioners help expand their natural curiosities along the way.

BESTIE – Local Mental Health Services App 
BESTIE is an interactive app developed by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and designed by local young people, CAMHS clinicians and IT experts – has recently been launched by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust CAMHS. BESTIE is freely available and can be found by searching for ‘Worcestershire BESTIE’ on Apple and Android phones or tablets. A web-based version is available at www.camhsbestie.co.uk

On joining BESTIE, young people, parents and professionals are able to easily access information about local mental health services (including virtual reality tours of Worcestershire CAMHS bases), signposting to local and national services and charities, as well as useful self-help information. This information is age-rated (so that young people only see information which is appropriate for their age) and favourite self-help information can be saved in a ‘personal space’ on the app, so that it is immediately to hand. For young people who are seen in CAMHS, additional features will soon be unlocked, including the ability to track their goals, mood and emotion. 
BESTIE was awarded ‘MidTech Best NHS developed innovation' at the Meridian Celebration of Innovation Awards. For more information about BESTIE, please see www.camhsbestie.co.uk
Music and Movement
We have regular dedicated music and movement sessions throughout the week which include yoga and mindfulness as well as singing and dancing.  The children have great fun learning how to use their bodies in different ways.  We all laugh a lot in these sessions.  

Nursery rhymes are sung, together with actions and props.  

Key Worker relationships

Each child is allocated a key worker who will work with you to form a positive close relationship with you and your child.  As this relationship blossoms your child will learn to trust their key person who will be able to support and nurture your child's emotional needs.  This may be as simple as spending time together snuggling up in a corner to read a book or it may be discussing options available to you for additional support.  

Your emotional and mental health

You are Important

This is the message we want both your children and you to hear loud and clear.


Modern life is tough. Raising children is tough. Being a child can be equally hard.  Here at Pinvin Community Preschool we believe in taking care of the whole family.  


The NHS have compiled a list of recommended Apps to use if you or anyone you know needs help managing their mental health. These range from access to therapists, support for dealing with a panic attack wherever you are when they occur to games, sleep programmes and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) courses. Certainly worth taking a look.


There is lots of support out there so please do not suffer in silence.

Taking care of your emotional and mental health


It is so important to take time to look after your own mental health, for your child's sake and your own.  Here are our practical tips.

Mindfulness exercise


Stop.  


Take a moment to breathe.  Really breathe. Engage all of your senses to become present in your environment. 


* Look - what do you see.  Are there plants in the garden you like?  Really notice them.  Is there a picture on the wall you love?  Look at it.


* Listen - what can you hear.  We mean really hear.  Not just the children demanding your attention.  Can you hear the birds?  Can you hear your breathing slowing? What else can you hear? Music can help.


* Smell - take a deep inhale through your nose.  Register what you can smell.  Perhaps it's your washing powder on your clothes, the coffee on the side, grass that has been cut.


* Touch - tune in to what you can feel whether this is the groves in the wooden table, the soft fabric of your top, the cool ceramic of your cup handle, the shiny surface of a leaf.


* Taste - acknowledge what you can taste.  Perhaps this is the last drink you had or something in the air.  Try to work out what it is and the different flavours you can identify.


Take a deep breathe, stand up tall with your shoulders back.  Now exhale.


You are now present.

Take time to talk

Giving spoken words to your thoughts and feelings will give you clarity and a sense of perspective.  We are living in an age where it is becoming the norm to talk about our mental health.  Lets continue to promote this!  Talk to someone you trust; a friend, a family member, your GP or us! 

Exercise

No matter how you are feeling try to exercise.  Trust us.  Taking the time to focus on an activity such as walking, running, yoga or swimming will help your mental health.  It is important to choose an activity that you enjoy rather than something you feel you 'should' do.  This is for you, do the thing that gives you the most pleasure. 


The increase in blood flow around your body will release oxytocin (the happy chemical) and you will begin to feel lighter,  Exercising requires a degree of focus, being in the moment and concentrating,  This is great for managing mental health as it forces us to refrain from looking to the past or worrying about the future.