Surrey Wellbeing Partnership

06/05/2021

Health Visiting Support for Families

Meet Dr Emily MacDonagh and Health Visitor Jo Neville to find out what support is available for families with children and babies aged five and under -

Meet Dr Emily MacDonagh and health visitor Jo Neville to find out what support is available from Children and Family Health Surrey for families with children...

01/04/2021

Community Connector online newsletter - helping families find support

This online newsletter shares new or existing services, and also provides helpful information, based on what families and practitioners are saying in the community.

Information includes education, food, clothing and furniture banks and financial advice, homelessness, community help and support, and support for children and young people - click on the link for details...

Details of where families in Surrey can find out what is available locally and where to receive help and support.

29/03/2021

Surrey’s NHS maternity services are looking for local fathers, partners and co-parents to help shape a new Maternity Mental Health Service by joining our 1-hour online conversation on 20 April 2021 at 6pm.

The service will support women and their partners who have experienced trauma or loss during their maternity experience such as birth trauma, miscarriage, still birth or neonatal death. We have held a number of focus groups with women and want to hear from fathers, partners and co-parents too so we know what support they would benefit from alongside their partner.

To register your interest in joining the session please complete the brief survey at: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/BIY7RA/

23/03/2021

Today is the first anniversary of the COVID pandemic in the UK. We would like to invite you to take a moment to light a candle, pause and think back over the past year.

When you remember, what feelings do you notice? Whatever you feel, be gentle with yourself and allow the feelings. There is no right or wrong way to feel.

Maybe you feel exhausted and overwhelmed. Perhaps you feel full of sadness and grief. It’s possible you’ve had no time to think or feel at all because life is still so intense for you and your family. It’s all so full-on isn’t it?

Alongside all your sadnesses about this year, is there one unexpected goodness that has shone through for you? One thing you have learned or changed in your life that is worth continuing after the pandemic has long gone?

We would love to hear about it so do share it with us or with your friends.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the last year but also find the silver linings in the rain clouds, care for and inspire each other.

- Dr Kathryn Hollins

19/03/2021

Imagining the future

Daffodils are in full bloom, lots of white hawthorn blossom adorns the hedgerows and the days are getting longer. It is officially the start of Spring this weekend.

Can you begin to imagine time after COVID? What does it feel like for you? Do you feel excited about being able to see friends and visit places you love? Do you feel nervous about being in social situations again after so long?

Emerging from Winter can make us feel lighter in spirit and more hopeful. It can also take us time to adjust to the brightness of the light and the loudness of all the noises outdoors.

Be gentle with yourself as you begin to imagine being out in the world again after a year inside. It will take time to get used to life after COVID. If you have little ones, you may be exploring completely new experiences with them. Take your time, little by little.

TIP: Can you write a wish-list with your family about what each child and adult is looking forward to doing when lockdown restrictions end? It might be dipping toes in the sea, meeting friends in the park, or being part of a sports or music event with people you care about.

What do YOU choose?

- Dr Kathryn Hollins

16/03/2021

Baby not sleeping? Toddler throwing tantrums? Teenager struggling with anxiety? Surrey's Family Help Hub has tips, advice and tools that can help you and your family manage or deal with those day to day challenges and worries about your child’s behaviour. This site is new and Surrey's Family Help Hub has been gathering feedback from parents in the last few weeks. Some changes have been made to make it easier to use so please take a look and see what you think. Please fill in the feedback form and enter a prize draw to won £100 Amazon vouchers, closing date is 22nd March.

Surrey's Family Help Hub is a brand new service. We are starting small, so at the moment our help is focused on children's behaviour – from babies to teens.

12/03/2021

Day 5: Make space for joy

Welcome to our Friday parent posting!

We would like to invite you to think about how to spend some fun time with your children this weekend. They thrive on being the centre of our attention, and they love and need being enjoyed by us. It also makes us feel like we are being a good parent when our child looks happy, giggles or can’t help smiling. Those moments are so special.

Can you imagine being in your child’s shoes today, after a whole week back at school. What will they be feeling now, after three months at home?

What do they need this weekend? Each child will have different needs, and there is no right or wrong way of feeling. All feelings need space and time to process.

Perhaps we can all plan to ‘make space for joy’ this weekend, whatever that looks like in your family, however small the plan is.

Wishing you a happy time together!

- Dr Kathryn Hollins

11/03/2021

Day 4: “How are you feeling today?”

Welcome to our parent posting, to mark the first week back in school after lockdown.

On Monday we invited you to be proud of surviving lockdown: you did it!

On Tuesday we reflected together on how your children may be feeling about being back at school, and how to listen to them, and accept positive or negative feelings.

On Wednesday we encouraged you to ‘take a moment’ for yourself - if not possible yesterday, can you make time for yourself today?

Today is Thursday, and we invite you to reflect on an important question:

How ARE you?
What is happening for you and how are you feeling?

You may have all sorts of feelings coming to the surface, now you have some time away from your children. Perhaps you are feeling a bit lost, exhausted, or worried. Perhaps you are feeling sadness or grief about still not being able to see people you love, due to distance or illness. Perhaps you are feeling absolute relief about schools being open.

So, take time to recognise the feelings in yourself. Then allow your feelings to be here without judgement - this is a chance to be kind to yourself. No guilt or blame, just kindness.

It will take time for everyone to feel settled again. If you or your child is struggling with this return to school, take it day by day, and remember no guilt or blame, just kindness.

- Dr Kathryn Hollins

10/03/2021

Day 3: Take a moment...

Today we would like to invite you to take a moment for yourself.

Yes, just for you!

Time to rest, to ‘do’ nothing, to potter, to daydream, to have space for you.

This is especially important after having had your children at home much more than usual. You may have had no time for yourself at all.

We can hear you clamour, that there is still SO much to do... catching up on work or housework, looking after younger children. We know, it never stops. But being able to pause is important for each of us. The beginning of spring is the most wonderful time of year to listen to your own ideas and dreams for the weeks ahead.

What needs to happen for you to take a moment to rest, today or tomorrow? Start small - even 10 minutes is good. If you can manage an hour or more, even better.

Once you get the taste for some rest, perhaps you will make space for it again next week...

- Dr Kathryn Hollins

09/03/2021

Day 2: Hold me tight - knowing I'm accepted

So, we wonder how your children are feeling today about being back in school? Sometimes going off to school on day two is harder than day one - they may feel tired out after managing a whole day in school yesterday.
Today we invite you to imagine yourself in your child’s shoes. When you see them after school, can you put your worries, tasks and mobile phone to one side for a bit and be attentive? Can you say, “how was your day today?” and really listen?

If your child is negative about their day, perhaps you can find a way of listening, accepting whatever they are feeling and ‘holding them tight’ with your words or actions. This could be through offering food they like, playing together or having a hug. If they have no words, can you ask them about one good thing that happened today?

Feeling loved and accepted is one of the best feelings we can share with our child.

PS. Please reach out if this feels hard - there are many people happy to listen and think things through with you.

08/03/2021

Returning to School: Take your Time - with Dr Kathryn Hollins

08/03/2021

Day 1: Return to school after lockdown 3

You did it! Today your children will be back in school, after nearly a whole term at home and nearly a year since lockdown began.
You have achieved something amazing today. Can you take a moment, and recognise how much you have been managing all year? Can you feel proud of what has gone well? Can you feel relieved that today you may have a moment to yourself? Can today be the beginning of finding a gentler, easier rhythm of balancing life’s demands?

You may have mixed feelings about your children being back in school today. You may miss them already. You may have found many things about the past year upsetting, anxiety-provoking and frustrating and need time to make sense of it all.

But just for today, take a moment to say to yourself and your friends: we did it!

These daffodils in the picture are a bunch of flowers especially for you.

Well done from all of us!

PS. If your children have not managed to get back to school today for whatever reason, please know you are just as amazing in your commitment to helping your child feel comfortable in their education - whatever it takes. Please reach out for support if you need it. One step at a time.