Resource hub

Coronavirus support page

For up to date NHS and Government advice  on Covid-19, please visit our main LPFT news page.

We know that Covid 19 continues to cause some additional challenges. With this in mind, we have tried our best to put, what could be, helpful emotional health and mental resources all in one place. 

Changes to our face to face appointments during Covid-19

Information about your appointment and what to expect

If you or anyone in your household is experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, no matter how mild, you must not leave your household. These symptoms include:

  • A high temperature
  • A new, continuous cough
  • Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

In response to COVID 19, there will be a few changes to the way your appointment is offered. The changes are in line with both national and local guidelines and will ensure the safety of both you and our staff.

If you have an appointment with one of our teams, please contact the team to let them know you are unable to attend. They will discuss with you suitable alternative arrangements.

We are only able to offer a waiting facility in exceptional circumstances.  If you require a space to wait prior to or during your appointment, please contact your team so they can make the necessary arrangements.

Please arrive on time for your appointment.

When you arrive please telephone the building to let them know you have arrived.  The building telephone number will be clearly printed on your appointment letter and entrance to the building. We will notify the clinician that you have arrived. If possible please wait outside or in your car. The clinician will contact you by telephone when your appointment is about to start and will invite you into the building. The clinicians will meet you at the main entrance.

Prior to your appointment, you will be asked to clean your hands with hand sanitiser or hand wash. 

We request that you wear a face covering when attending your appointment in the clinic. We would encourage you to provide the face covering for yourself. You will not be denied care if you are not wearing a face covering and we will make one available if this is needed. If you have any difficutlies with wearing a face covering, please discuss this with your clinician. Your clinicians may also wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which could include a mask, apron and gloves.

Thank you for your understanding and support in preventing the spread of coronavirus

Tips/advice on managing anxiety and mental health during Coronavirus

Mind - Coronavirus and your wellbeing

Young Minds- 'What to do if you’re anxious about coronavirus'

Information about worry and anxiety for children - "Kiki the Worry Monster" book available for download here

Check out the SHARE checklist before you like, comment or share information- remember, try and get information from trusted sources.

FACE Covid- a video on 'How To Respond Effectively To The Corona Crisis' based on principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Psychology Tools- Guide to living with worry and anxiety during global uncertainty

Covid-19 and eating disorders

BEAT- 'Eating Disorders and Coronavirus.'

CAMHS EDS Newsletter 1- Tips and activites to support young people with an eating disorder during lockdown

Coping cards- Check out these coping cards developed by our CAMHS EDS team

My Self Care Plan- Check out this plan developed by our CAMHS EDS team

‘Survival Guide to Change’ online workshop series for children and young people

This ‘Survival Guide to Change’ online workshop series has been created by Healthy Minds Lincolnshire. It's aim is to support children and young people to learn new strategies to help manage during times of uncertainty.

This workshop series is suitable for young people aged 10 plus. Younger children are likely to need support from parents and carers in completing this workshop. Before you start the workshop please download our 'survival guide to change' workbook.

 

Introduction to the 'survival guide to change' workshop series

PART 1- 'A survival guide to change’ online workshop

PART 2- 'A survival guide to change’ online workshop

PART 3- 'A survival guide to change’ online workshop

PART 4- 'A survival guide to change’ online workshop

PART 5- 'A survival guide to change’ online workshop

Once completed, please could you take some time to complete our feedback survey 

 

Parent/carer resources and information

Supporting your child during coronavirus

Young Minds- Supporting Your Child During The Coronavirus Pandemic

NSPCC- Supporting your child through coronavirus

Lincolnshire-based charity Inspire+ have collated a wide range of activities and programmes for both children and parents/guardians at home that will promote being 'Healthy, Happy & Active.' On their social media channels they are also posting  daily challenges from staff and ambassadors.

Alderhey NHS- Mindfulness Activities for Kids

DDP Network- Parenting a traumatised child whilst living with Covid-19

BPS- Advice for keyworker parents 'Helping your child adapt to changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic.'

Continuing education/learning at home

Sunshine Support- self-isolating. Ideas & Advice for home education and SEND

Lincolnshire-based charity Inspire+ have collated a wide range of activities and programmes for both children and parents/guardians at home that will promote being 'Healthy, Happy & Active.' On their social media channels they are also posting  daily challenges from staff and ambassadors.

Free education resources

BBC Teach- Thousands of free curriculum-mapped videos arranged by age group and subject.

BrainPopBrainPop are offering their animated movies on topics in maths, science and English completely free to parents.

BBC Bitesize -Free teaching and revision material for primary, secondary and post-16 students, including advice on studying at home during the pandemic.

5 ways to wellbeing during Covid-19

Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing and get the most out of life. These steps are connect, be active, take notice, learn and give. Looking afther our wellbeing is so important during coronavirus, but equally as difficult to do, as many of the things we usually rely on are not available to us.

Click on the buttons below to watch videos from our Healthy minds Lincolnshire service introducing some of the steps. You can also see a list of more examples/ ideas from our peer support workers, who themselves have lived experience of mental health difficulties. Before you take a look, remember that these are ideas and not 'recommendations'- there's no perfect way to get through this period, and everyone is different. That said, we hope these ideas will give you some inspiration and encourage you to find your own way to look after your wellbeing during this difficult period. 

Be active

Ideas to help you 'be active'-

  • Try home workouts- It you are stuck for ideas have a look at sites like Pinterest or Youtube, you can also try and remember things you learned in P.E. or join in with virtual P.E. lessons. You can also check out NHS gym-free workouts.  
  • Lincolnshire-based charity Inspire+ have collated a wide range of activities and programmes for both children and parents/guardians at home that will promote being 'Healthy, Happy & Active.' On their social media channels they are also posting  daily challenges from staff and ambassadors.
  • Utilise your 30mins leisure time out of the house (e.g. walk the dog, ride your bike or short run or walk). Remember social distancing regulations/rules.
  • Try practice yoga or Pilates in the house/garden.
  • Play ball games in the garden with you family
  • Put on your favourite music and dance in your bedroom
  • Do housework or organisational tasks (also helps to de-clutter your mind)

Learn

Ideas to help you 'keep learning'

  • Try and learn a new spoken language – there are apps that can help you with this.
  • Try sign language, search YouTube for sign language songs, try learning your favourite song
  • Use what you already have at home! Learn to sew/bake/cook.
  • D.I.Y/ upcycle projects
  • Online courses- there's loads of free courses at the minute, like free courses from Openlean 
  • YouTube tutorials
  • Makeup & hair & beauty
  • Read a new book
  • Try brain training activities such as a crossword or Sudoku
  • Research something you’ve always wanted to learn about
  • Ask other members of you household to teach you a skill they have

 

Connect

Ideas to help you connect

  • Schedule Facetime/phone calls/skype with friends and family.
  • Use texts or other messenger apps to keep in contact.
  • Spend quality time with people in your house (board games, movie night) – you could schedule in weekly events to create more of a routine and separate the weekdays from the weekends
  • Have at least one fixed meal time with the people in your household.
  • Play online games with friends (e.g. Xbox, apps)
  • Stick messages or postcards in your window for people to spot during their daily exercises.
  • Connect with your favourite band or music artist- with lots streaming free 'at home' concerts-  a list of some of these is available on Billboard.com

Give

Ideas to help you 'give to others'

  • Text friends and family to make sure they’re okay
  • Creative activities – making a digital scrapbook of you and your friends/family that they can access. There is a website called smilebox scrapbook maker you could make this on, or you could do on social media platforms or on a shared icloud gallery.
  • Create an “adventure” list with friends of all the things you want to do together. You could do this over the phone, social media, FaceTime etc.
  • Do some ‘random acts of kindness’ for the people in your household. These are simple and easy tasks you can do to help the people around you

Take notice

Ideas to help you 'take notice'

  • Listen to your body and what you need- if you're having a particularly difficult day and need to rest, then that's okay. You don't need to be 100% every single day and if you have a day of not doing much, don't spend time beating yourself up.
  • Create/make a glitter jar to help you soothe and relax
  • Get create and mindful making paper hearts and stars
  • To help calm any anxiety and relax, try some progressive muscle relaxation. Healthy Minds Lincolnshire have developed lots of videos on relaxation and breathing exercises on our this section of our site under 'relaxation and self-soothing.'
  • If you're new to mindfulness- take a look at the app store for some free apps, or search the web for some free audio meditation guides. There are loads available on the free mindfulness project
  • If you're new to mindfulness and want to learn more, there's more information and guides on getselfhelp.com- mindfulness
  • Try some mindful colouring - there's some free colouring pages on crayola website and supercoloring website.
  • If you have a garden or outside space, take some sitting sitting in this environment and listening to sounds, taking note of smells and things you see.

Getting creative 

Our CAMHS peer support worker and 'Creative CAMHS' facilitator Becky is giving a tutorials how to stay creative and occupy ourselves during Covid-19. 

Remember to post your creations on social media using the #creativecamhs hashtag

Creative CAMHS Week 1: Paper flowers      Download written instructions here>>

Creative CAMHS - sock bunnies

Download written instructions here

Creative CAMHS - decorating jars

Download written instructions here

Creative CAMHS - pebble painting

Download written instructions here

Creative CAMHS - flower cactus & pot

Download written instructions for plant pot here

Download written instructions for flowering cactus here

Creative CAMHS - felt animals

Download written instructions here

Creative CAMHS - cereal box notebook

Download written instructions here

Creative CAMHS - lollipop bookmarks

Download written instructions here

Creative CAMHS - sensory glitter bottles

Download written instructions here

Local Support Services

Lincolnshire County Council- local Coronavirus support services

5 Top tips for teaching staff

5 top tips for teaching staff during Covid-19 (video)- Healthy Minds Lincolnshire talk through their top tips for teaching staff during this uncertain period.

Training for professionals and parents/carers

Public Health England have launched a new psychological first aid (PFA) online training course to help support children and young people that have been affected by emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. The training is available for anyone who cares for or is regularly in contact with children and young people aged up to 25, including parents and caregivers.

Online support services

Kooth Support Services- free online counselling and support services for young people

Carers UK Guidance

Carers UK- Coronavirus guidance for carers

LPFT Coronavirus Advice for parent/carer leaflet

Helplines

Barnados Helpline- Barnardos has launched a helpline specifically to help children, young people and families affected by Covid-19 from Black and Asian communities

Samaritans- If you're in distress and need support, you can ring Samaritans for free at any time of the day or night. Freephone (UK and Republic of Ireland): 116 123 (24 hours).

The Mix-  If you're under 25 you can talk to The Mix for free on the phone, by email or on their webchat. You can also use their phone counselling service, or get more information on support services you might need. Freephone: 0808 808 4994 (13:00-23:00 daily) 

CALM  (Campaign Against Living Miserably) - offers support to young men aged 15+ in the UK who are down or in a crisis through webchat.  For their helpline contact: Freephone: 0800 58 58 58 (Daily 17:00-midnight)

YoungMinds Crisis Messenger - This messenger provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK to those if experiencing a mental health crisis. If you need urgent help text YM to 85258. All texts are answered by trained volunteers.  Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus.

Young Minds Parent Helpline-  This Parents Helpline for detailed advice, emotional support and signposting about a child or young person up to the age of 25. Call them for free on 0808 802 5544 from 9:30am - 4pm, Mon - Fri. Young Minds also have a Parents Email Service and Parents Webchat.

Self- Help information

Though not covid-19 specific, we have put together some links to self-help guides that may be helpful if you've been struggling with any of the following issues for some time and want to know how you can help yourself.

Accessibility tools

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