Family Line

Family pressures can sometimes be difficult to manage without emotional support and guidance to help. Many people feel confused by what information is available or struggle to access services close to home.

The free FamilyLine service tackles these issues in a new and innovative way by using a network of volunteers from across the country to support family members over the age of 18 through telephone calls, email, web chat and text message.

The service aims to:

• provide both immediate and long-term support
• help with practical information and guidance
• provide emotional and listening support
• help with understanding and accessing relevant services and information
• provide regular one-to-one befriending support to service users feeling isolated
• access to short term telephone counselling
• a referral into our many projects across England and Wales, where relevant.

How it works

A team of trained volunteers with the knowledge and experience of family issues to support service users via telephone, text, web chat and email.

They provide a listening ear, answer particular parenting questions or help with guidance around more complex family issues. We can also provide longer-term support through regular sessions with our Befrienders and Counsellors. All support takes place via telephone, text message, web chat or email and is free.

How to access the service

Family members aged 18 years old and over from anywhere in England, Wales and the Isle of Man can get in touch with the service for free via telephone, text message, web chat or email, using the details below.

Opening times:

• Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm

Contact details:

• Telephone: 0808 802 6666
• Text message: 07537 404 282
• Email: familyline@family-action.org.uk
• Live web chat

Contacting us out of hours

Do you need FamilyLine but it’s out of our operation hours? You can either call back in our opening hours, leave a message on our voice mail for a call back in our operation hours or if you’re in crisis you can contact our crisis line to get in touch with a trained professional.

• Text FAMILYACTION to 85258

Our crisis messenger text service provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. We know that getting the correct support at the correct time is so beneficial which is why we’ve introduced our crisis line. This service is delivered in partnership with Shout.

The link for the webpage is - https://www.family-action.org.uk/what-we-do/children-families/familyline/

Healthy Minds Support

We hope you are all well and adjusting as well as you can during the current changes we are all facing daily.  At Healthy Minds we have been working on some resources to support your children and young people as well as parents/carers and professionals which we hope you will find useful.

Of course as always if you have concerns about a child or young person’s emotional wellbeing please contact us on the Here4You line which is operational as normal.  Here4You line on 01522 309120 – available Monday to Friday 09.30 – 16.30.  Alternatively, please visit https://www.lpft.nhs.uk/young-people/lincolnshire/home where you can find useful information and self-help advice.

Best Wishes

Emma Houltby

Service Manager

Healthy Minds Lincolnshire

Relaxation and Mindfulness

If you scroll down  on the link webpage below you will see lots of helpful information.  If you click on the relaxation and self-soothing tab you will find some short relaxation videos which are around two minutes long. These can be used by not only children and young people, but family/carers and professionals who may be struggling and need some support :

·         square breathing

·         finger breathing

·         colour breathing

·         my happy place exercise

·         progressive muscle relaxation 

Online 'Managing Worries and Anxious Feelings' Workshop

On the link below you will find a recorded anxiety workshop that is appropriate for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.  We recommend that Primary aged children are supported by their Parents/carers/responsible adult to access this as they might need some help to understand or complete the activities.  The workshop contains positive, supportive strategies that would be delivered to a group of children that are either experiencing some low level worries/anxieties or to provide education and support about some supportive strategies that are just good to know anyway on a day to day basis to help us to understand ourselves more and process our feelings.

On the link if you scroll to near the bottom of the page you will find the workshop.  There are links to supporting workbooks for Primary and Secondary aged children to use alongside the workshop which are just about the video.  There is also a parent pack to download under the video with advice and support for parents and carers.  Please see the link below for the online anxiety workshop:

Coronavirus Support Page

On the link below you will find resources to support emotional wellbeing in relation to Coronavirus.  This is a growing resource with contributions from both CAMHS and Healthy Minds Lincolnshire.  On here you will find some new helpful videos:

·         5 Ways to Wellbeing during Covid -19 (found directly on webpage, scroll down)

·         Top Tips for Young People during Covid -19 (found on webpage link under “Tips/Advice on managing anxiety and mental health during Coronavirus.”)

·         Top Tips for Parents/Carers during Covid-19 (found on webpage link under “Supporting your child during Coronavirus.”)

·         Top Tips for Teaching staff during Covid -19 (found on webpage link, right at the bottom)

A parent's guide to home learning
 

Just when you thought you had parenting figured out and your children were settled back into school after Lockdown 1....BOOM! Lockdown 2 hits us all like a freight train.

Again schools and families are thrust into the world of the unknown. Schools are 'clopen' - closed for most pupils, but still open for children of critical workers or vulnerable families. If that wasn't enough, throw into the mix the expectation of daily remote learning alongside your own lives and you are expected to act as class teacher, teaching assistant, PE coach.. the list is endless. It is no wonder and expected that many parents might feel slightly overwhelmed. We all do!

It is important to realise that your children are also feeling confused, scared and unsettled and need you to remain calm and in control. First and foremost they NEED you to be their parent- their safe person, their trusted adult and their protector!

Children thrive on consistency and praise which is why school is so reassuring each day. A smile goes a long way. 

Whilst home Learning is NOT optional, it is compulsory, and schools will be monitoring work being completed, we do know and understand how difficult it is.

In order for us to support you we have put together our 10 point guide  to help :

1. Use your schools timetable to structure your child's day - wake up at normal time, have breakfast as usual and then where possible stick to lessons provided- REMEMBER THOSE BRAIN BREAKS

2. Create a work space for your child where they can focus and not be distracted by others

3. Avoid non- essential screen time during the day 

4. Exercise daily- make sure this is built in to your routine and stick to it- it is great for mental and physical health

5. Eat healthily- make cooking a family activity. Eat 3 meals a day and remember to drink water.

6. Be flexible- some days will be better than others and that is OK

7. Stay calm- you can and will do this together will your child

8. Be kind to yourself and your child- take regular breaks, do a little bit of work throughout the day  in 30-40 min chunks.

9. Share the amazing learning with your child's class teacher- email them we want to see it!

10. Support each other and let us support you- we are always here to help!

Remember we are in unprecedented times for everyone. We can and will get through this together. 

Keep safe, stay inside.
Mrs Wilson and the Bracebridge Team

We have attached some links and advice  below should you need to contact anyone for any further support beyond school.