Secondary age (11 – 18 years old)

Find out about the different types of eczema, treatments and triggers, and download our booklets and factsheets. https://eczema.org/information-and-advice/

Asthma is the most common long-term medical condition in children in the UK, with around 1 in 11 children and young people living with asthma. The UK has some of the highest prevalence, emergency admissions and death rates for childhood asthma in Europe. Outcomes are worse for children and young people living in the most deprived areas.

Click on the link to get to the asthma resource section supporting children, young people, families, and everybody else involved in looking after them.

School nurses are the key people linking education and health and take over from the health visitor when children start school, and are there to support them until they leave school at 19.

Our Health Visitors will support you in getting your child ready for primary school. They will provide guidance on arranging pre-school immunisations and advice about healthy eating, toileting, hand washing, etc. At five years your child moves to the care of our School Nurses.

School Nurses are qualified nurses who have specialist training in Public Health and offer support to children and their families throughout the school year as part of the Healthy Child Programme 5-19. Some screenings and immunisations are provided through schools. If your child is home educated and you would like some advice from the school nurse, please do contact us.

Public Health Nurses are qualified nurses that work alongside Health Visitors, School Nurses, Community Nursery Nurses.

Community Nursery Nurses have a variety of qualifications and skills in child development and have expertise and knowledge supporting children and families. They work with the Health Visitors, School Nurses and Public health Nurses in the 0-19 service.

If you have concerns about your school age child you can speak to a School Nurse by either phone or by attending a local drop-in session. Contact our advice line (see below for details) or visit one of our Drop in’s. Dates, times and venues in our what’s on section. Your School nurse can provide advice and support on issues including:

• Behaviour
• Emotional health and wellbeing
• Continence issues e.g. soiling and enuresis
• Developmental concerns
• Advice, information and signposting to sexual health and contraception services
• Growth and weight concerns
• Advice and information in relation to lifestyle concerns including smoking, drugs or alcohol
• Supporting pupils and their families/carers with newly diagnosed medical conditions

What if I want advice outside of school?
You can either phone our advice line on 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm) or email us publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net which ever is easier.
Referral to 0 to 19

For children in year 6 we will take your child’s weight and height in line with the National Child Measurement Programme. This will take place in your child’s school and you will receive information about it.

Acne is a common skin condition that affects most people at some point. It causes spots, oily skin and sometimes skin that’s hot or painful to touch. Find out more about the symptoms and what you can try

Information from the NHS about why eye checks are important and how to spot eye problems in children.

Information and support to sufferers and their families. Leaflets, fact sheets and regular newsletters are available. In addition they run a help line and support groups throughout the country.

Advice and information for teenagers and young people living with bowel and bladder conditions.

The advice in these pages were created by young people with real life experience of living with and managing chronic bladder and bowel conditions.

Routine hearing tests are offered to newborn babies and children to identify any problems early on in their development.

The four most common allergies in children are food allergy, eczema, asthma, and hay fever. Find out information and advice from Allergy UK

“How much should my child weigh?” is a common question for parents. Children are weighed regularly as babies, but as children grow and develop at different rates it’s not always easy to tell if they are a healthy weight. Find some great advice here.

Head lice and nits are very common in young children and their families. They do not have anything to do with dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact.

An attractive and healthy smile is important when meeting people and making friends. And it can boost your confidence and help you feel good about yourself. Find out more here

An attractive and healthy smile is important when meeting people and making friends. And it can boost your confidence and help you feel good about yourself.

If you don’t look after your teeth and gums properly you could suffer from a number of different conditions that will make you stand out from the crowd for all the wrong reasons.

There’s lots of helpful website for information and advice –

• Dental Health – Children’s Teeth 
• The NHS children’s teeth 
• Help to find an NHS dentist 

What does puberty mean?
Puberty is when a child begins to grow and develop into an adult.

Puberty For girls
The average age girls start to notice changes is around 11 years old.

• The first sign is often the beginnings of breast growth – this varies from person to person.
• Body hair will grow.
• They will sweat more (and it may smell).
• They may start getting spots and pimples.
• They grow! (About 2 – 3 inches a year).
• Their body shape will change – their hips will widen, waist gets narrower and they will have more body fat on arms, legs and upper back. This is normal and as long as children keep active and eat healthily, it is nothing to worry about.
• Periods (menstruation) usually begin around two years after you first notice early signs of puberty.

Puberty for boys
The average age boys start to notice changes is around 12 years old.

• The first sign is often testicles (balls) getting bigger and the skin of the scrotum (the sac that holds the testicles) getting thinner and redder.
• Body and facial hair grows, getting thicker and curlier as puberty progresses.
• Their voice will get deeper. As this happens your child’s voice might sometimes go squeaky or deep.
• Their penis will sometimes be erect. This can happen without warning, sometimes because of sexual feelings, sometimes for no reason at all.
• They may notice some swelling around their nipples, this does not last and it is normal.
• They have a growth spurt! (About 3 inches a year) and become more muscular.

Contact your 0 to 19 Torbay advice line for support from our school nursing team.
Tel: 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm)
Email: publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net

Alongside daily hygiene habits such as washing your hands, brushing your teeth and generally keeping clean to reduce spreading germs and infection, there is also a social aspect to personal hygiene. This is around body odour and dental hygiene.
As a young person, your body might already be going through a number of changes, or it soon will, so maintaining good personal hygiene and establishing daily routines are important, especially as some of these changes can be a source of anxiety for some people.
Here are some hygiene basics to help you stay healthy and clean, so that you don’t have to worry about smelly underarms or feet.

Your skin and spots
During puberty your skin changes and tends to produce more oil that can lead to spots. You should work out the type of skin you have and buy products to fit this. For example, your skin type might be combination/normal, dry or oily
• Make sure you thoroughly cleanse your face in the morning and evening
• If you wear any make-up, make sure to remove this before bed
• Hydrate and moisturise your skin
• Drink plenty of water and eat a healthy, balanced diet
Some teenagers develop acne and get a large number of spots that can become infected. This needs treatment and you should speak to your GP for advice on how to manage this. You may need specialist treatment and / or products

Body odour
During puberty, your sweat glands start to develop. Body odour occurs as a result of bacteria feeding on and breaking down the sweat on the body.
To manage body odour, you can:
• Shower daily and make sure you are wearing clean clothing to avoid bacterial build up, particularly after any physical activity
• Regularly shave and wash your underarms thoroughly
• Start using deodorant, roll on or spray. Some deodorants are also antiperspirants, which could cause you to sweat less.
If you are concerned by the amount you are sweating, or your body odour has worsened or changed, then you can visit your GP for advice or speak to one of our school nurses.

Dental hygiene
Making sure you maintain good dental hygiene is key to avoiding bad breath and other issues such as gum disease.
Make sure you:
• Brush your teeth twice day
• Floss
• Visit the dentist regularly.

Smelly feet
Young people can be prone to smelly feet, even if they are not doing lots of sports.
To avoid or manage this:
• Make sure you wash your feet properly when you’re in the shower
• Make sure your feet are completely dry before putting on your socks and shoes
• Visit your GP if you feel it is getting worse or not getting any better.

If you need further help or support, your school nurse is available to discuss any issues or questions you may have in relation to puberty and body changes confidentially.

As well as having negative social affects, poor hygiene and hand washing causes health problems. Poor hygiene can cause sickness and disease. Poor hygiene can also cause social rejection and may also lead to bullying, low confidence and low self-esteem. – see also word doc for more information.

Contact your 0 to 19 Torbay advice line for support from our school nursing team.
Tel: 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm)
Email: publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net

Most people experience problems with sleep in their life. In fact, it’s thought that a third of Brits will have episodes of insomnia at some point. This short test from Sleepio will give you a ‘sleep score’ plus practical tips and advice for improving your sleep.

The one stop shop for all you need to know about sleep.
If you’re looking for advice on how to sleep better, would like tips on tweaking your routine or help to understand the science behind your sleep patterns, you’ll find it all here at the Teen Sleep Hub

The one stop shop for all you need to know about sleep. Great resources and videos to share.

Advice on things like helping your teenager get a better nights sleep. Get sleep advice from our parenting coaches.

It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, nursery or playgroup when they’re unwell. Here’s a guide from the NHS showing common childhood illnesses and advice for when you should keep your child off nursery or school.

Devon parents/carers can download a free locally developed app to help them manage some of the common childhood illnesses, with advice from child health professionals at their fingertips.

The app has been developed by paediatric consultants and, covers conditions, such as:

Diarrhoea and vomiting
‘Chesty baby’ illnesses, such as bronchiolitis, asthma and croup
‘Chesty child’ illnesses, such as wheezing and asthma
High temperature
Abdominal pain
Common new-born problems
If you a parent or a carer of a child download the app now so you have it when you need it.

Download the app for Apple devices

Download the app for Android devices

Childhood vaccinations – or jabs have been around for over 200 years starting with the first smallpox vaccine.  Different vaccinations are given out at different times across childhood.  But don’t worry if you or your child has missed out you can catch-up.  Vaccines work by teaching your immune system how to create antibodies that protect you from diseases.  Think of antibodies as your body’s defence system.  It’s much safer for your immune system to learn this through vaccination than by catching the diseases and treating them.  Once your immune system knows how to fight a disease, it can often protect you for many years.

Vaccines all have different names depending on what disease they are helping to protect you against.  The diseases they cover may be in their medical term rather than how we know them so whooping cough has the medical term pertussis!  They may also be reduced down as their long name is a bit of a tongue-twister – so Hib stands for Haemophilus Influenzae type b.

They can also be delivered to different sites – thigh, upper arm or into the nostrils.

Below lists the standard routine childhood immunisations with when you should have expected to have them, what they are for and where you will receive them.

Routine Childhood Immunisations poster

Frequently Asked Questions:

I think I’m missing some of my childhood vaccinations – how do I find out?
First step is to find out whether you have a completed red book which includes a section on your vaccination history.- You can also check your vaccination history via the NHS app.

I know I am missing some of my childhood vaccinations – how do I access them?
Contact your GP surgery to find out the best way to book in for your missed vaccinations.

I’m not sure if my child is up to date with their childhood vaccinations – how do I find out?
First step is to check your child’s red book which includes a section on your vaccination history.
If you’re not sure you took this with you to the vaccination or you can’t find it. The next step is the NHS app from here you can also view your child’s vaccination record. If you’re child has not been added to your account, please contact your GP surgery.

I know I my child is missing some of their childhood vaccinations – how do I access them?
Contact your GP surgery

Are vaccines important?
Yes! Vaccines can help prevent you or your child becoming infected. The side-effects of these diseases can cause painful and/or permanent disabilities. Vaccines also help to protect the community, we see less of these nasty infections because of the majority of the population is vaccinated – something referred to as herd immunity. This also helps to protect those who can’t get vaccinated or have low immune systems for example those undergoing cancer treatment.

Some of the vaccines such as the HPV vaccine help to also reduce the risk of cervical cancer later in life.

If you’re a young person and would like to catch up on any vaccines you have missed, these can still protect you as you head into adulthood. They’re not just for when you’re young!

Useful sites:

• Vaccination tips for parents.
• Why Vaccination is safe and important

Spotlight on Measles: This is an infection that can spread easily for example through the sharing of utensils, towels, clothes or bedding. 

It can appear like a cold with symptoms like a high temperature, runny or blocked nose, sneezing and a cough.  It can include red, sore, watery eyes – which means at the first stage you may not know it is measles. 

The rash will appear a few days later. 

Measles can lead to more serious problems such as pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures – this is why the vaccine is key to protect the community. When a child or adult has measles they can’t attend nursery, school or work for at least 4 days after the rash appears.  They need to avoid close contact with babies, people who are pregnant and people with weakened immune systems.  Catching measles in pregnancy can cause miscarriage or still birth, premature birth or having a baby of low birth weight.

Children’s brains have a massive growth spurt when they’re very young. By the time they’re six, their brains are already about 90-95% of adult size. The early years are a critical time for brain development, but the brain still needs a lot of remodelling before it can function as an adult brain.

This brain remodelling happens intensively during adolescence, continuing until your child is in their mid-20s. Brain change depends on age, experience and hormonal changes in puberty.

Check out YouTube for videos around teenage brain development.

There are two courses about teenagers’ brains. One for parents and one for teenagers. Both are fully funded, just use the access code TAMAR in you live in Torbay

Understanding your brain (for teenagers only!)

Understanding your teenager’s brain (course for parents)

Teenagers’ behaviour can be baffling, stressful, hurtful and often worrying. But in most cases it does not mean there is anything more serious going on than the natural process of becoming an adult. Advice from the NHS

Setting boundaries with your child, using rules and rewards, and coping with challenging behaviour.

Support and advice on a range of issues such as talking about relationships, gender identity, dealing with emotions or body image.

Lots of advice and information on starting secondary school from support if you are worried about the size of the school and getting lost to making new friends.

Language development at this stage is a gradual process.  Changes still take place but they are harder to see. Children need to learn to develop relationships and join in social activities on their own.
This is a guide to how children develop their talking and understanding of words between 11-17 years.

Welcome to Own It! We are here to help kids boss their online lives. Whatever you need – help and advice, skills or inspiration – we have it covered.

That does Own It have to offer?
The Basics covers different parts of the online world, whether that’s social media, gaming, vlogging or getting to know your device.
Take Control is all about owning your digital life – help and advice on how to look after your wellbeing.
It’s Personal is full of tips on how to handle your friendships and relationships online. We’ve got plenty of advice on how to deal with trolls, being kind online and even handling parents.
Don’t Panic is where to head if you are in need of help with anything online. It has tips for dealing with tricky situations and links to organisations that can offer urgent help.

Illegal money lenders or loan sharks as they are more commonly known are criminals and they will lend money to almost anyone at extortionately high interest rates (100% a week is the norm) and will use a variety of tactics such as intimidation, harassment, threats and violence to ensure that the borrower continues to pay with no end date to the loan.

In the period 2016 – 2021, Devon was the nations “hotspot” for loan shark activity and Torbay in particular had numerous arrests made and several prosecutions.

Anyone who owes a loan shark money needs specialist help and support which only the Stop Loan Shark Team can provide and they can be contacted (anonymously if needs be) either by calling their 24/7/365 Helpline on 0300 555 2222 or via their Live Chat facility on their website www.stoploansharks.co.uk
And most importantly, anyone who has taken a loan from a loan shark has NOT committed any offence at all.

CEOP helps any child or young person under the age of 18 who is being pressured, forced or tricked into taking part in sexual activity of any kind. This can be something that has taken place either online or in ‘the real world’, or both.

Understanding online safety is tricky for all ages. We have advice to help you learn about staying safe online as a family.

Sexting is a term often used to describe sharing this type of content but young people may refer to it as sending a ‘selfie or a ‘pic’. What you need to know from Think U Know

Free child safety advice to parents and carers, support professionals working with children and families, support senior professionals and policy-makers and advise the government and organisations on child safety.

CSE stands for child sexual exploitation and is a type of abuse. It’s when children are tricked into performing sexual acts. It can happen to both boys and girls.

At the start, the young person may think they’re in a loving consensual relationship, because they get gifts, money, status, affection. In reality, they are being groomed. Find out more from The Children’s Society

The beach is a fantastic place to go, but it can be dangerous. If you’re heading to the seaside, take a look at the RNLI’s top five tips to help you and your family stay safe.

What do if your child has an accident and the latest safety advice.

Extra help or adjustments to exams are called ‘Access Arrangements’.

‘Access Arrangements’ allow students with special educational needs, disabilities or temporary injuries to access exams and show what they know and can do.

However, ‘Access Arrangements’ are not allowed to give the student an unfair advantage or compromise the integrity of the exam. This means that there will have to be evidence that any additional support provided in the tests is also the same as or similar to the additional support regularly provided to the student as part of normal classroom practice (except in the case of injuries). For example, a student would only be allowed to use a laptop in exams if they normally use one in class. Access arrangements must also be appropriate to the exam and the student. For example, a student with dyslexia may need extra time for a written exam, but not for a practical one. 

There are a wide range of possible Access Arrangements that can be made, including:

• extra time to read, understand, and produce answers, for example, if you have difficulties with memory and processing information.  (The typical amount of extra time awarded to students with special educational needs (SENs) is 25 per cent.)
• assistance from another person or assistive software:
  • a reader (this can either be a person or assistive software such as a screen reader, read aloud or a reading pen)
  • a scribe (amanuensis) a person who writes down exactly what you say or assistive software such as a voice recognition programme
• assistive technology e.g. a word processor, computer equipment, specialist software, assistive software. (It’s important that technical support on hand in case there are any problems with equipment) Word processing facilities if motor control is impaired;
• a separate room with an invigilator, or alternative site arrangement – so that you’re not disturbed by other candidates (if there are sensory issues), and they are not disturbed by you.
• opportunities to take supervised rest breaks
• modified exam papers in your preferred format, plain coloured paper, braille, large print, audio format, signs or symbols etc. printed on coloured paper or printed in ink other than blue or black, dyslexia-friendly font, coloured/enlarged papers, papers with modified language
• assistance from another person
  • a prompter (to keep you focused)
  • a practical assistant
• coloured overlays
• Medical support and emergency arrangements, Provision of snacks during exams
• Exam officers to be aware that problems may arise during exam periods

Whilst some ‘Access Arrangements’ can be made by School without prior approval (delegated arrangements), many others will require advance application (before the February deadline) for approval or notification.  

Every year the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) produce Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration documents that contains the rules, regulations and guidance on what a student may, or may not receive when sitting formal examinations and lists the types of arrangements that may apply.

Most education providers and examining bodies will have made exam arrangements for individual students before. But they may not have come across all possible arrangements as support needs vary from person to person. If you think access arrangements may be required it is best to discuss this as early as possible, preferably at the start of the relevant course.

Information for families Electively Home Educating in Torbay

Please see the sections below for weblinks you may find useful.

We are aware that there are also a wide range of online forums that we have not included links to, but,  that you may wish to explore yourself.

Childcare is available in Torbay through a variety of providers including childminders, pre-schools and out of school care such as breakfast clubs, afterschool clubs and holiday play schemes. Here you will find information on different types available.

Find out how to apply for a new secondary school year 7 place for  in Torbay. The online application system is now closed. If you still need to make an application for your child to start school in September please call 01803 208908 or email pupil.services@torbay.gov.uk to get an application form.

CSW Group provides free information, advice, guidance and support to people of all ages to help them to enter work and learning.

The service for 13-19 year olds also provides support up to the age of 25 for young people who have learning difficulties or disabilities.

Also offer free information in learning and work to anyone aged 19 and over, helping improve career prospects by learning new skills, retraining or gaining new qualifications.

They also support vulnerable groups during this time of transition.

CSW Advice and Guidance Service

CSW Group offer a free transition advice and guidance to all Y11 students who have Education, Health and Care plans (EHCP) or are electively home educated (EHE)

The Transitions service aims to:

• Encourage achievement and raise aspirations
• Remove barriers to education
• Ensure understanding of future options and provide practical support in applying to and accessing these options
• Support transitions for Young People in line with Peninsula Local Authorities transition protocols
• Ensure a smooth, successful and sustained transition to post-16 learning whether remaining in a sixth form or moving on

Help and advice for parents and carers on the attendance of their children at school.

Find out if your child is eligible for help with the cost of home to school transport.

All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 automatically get free school meals but you should still register your child to receive free school meals if you are eligible. By doing this your child’s entitlement can be checked on a regular basis so that their school can receive valuable additional funding for every child receiving a free school meal.

Information for families Electively Home Educating in Torbay

The law requires every child of statutory school age to be educated, either by regular attendance at school or, if parents choose, at home, providing the child receives an efficient full-time education suitable –

(1) to their age, ability and aptitude, and

(2) to any special educational needs they may have.

If you choose to make your own arrangements to educate your child at home you will be fully responsible. The Local Authority does not provide any assistance with examination costs, curriculum materials or additional resources.  The decision to educate your child at home is a big step; it will take a considerable amount of your time, energy and money. Please read through the guidelines booklet below if you are considering elective home education.

Home Education Guidelines – A guide to help parents/carers understand what may be involved if they are considering electively home educating their child outside the school system

If you decide to electively home educate and your child currently attends a school, it is important to inform the school by writing to the Headteacher.

If you are electively home educating in Torbay, please complete the voluntary registration form and return this to ehe@torbay.gov.uk.  This can be downloaded by clinking on the tab below.

Download the home education voluntary registration form

Once the local authority is aware that a child is electively home educated, the EHE Team will contact parents to request information on the education at home.

Please also be aware that if you chose to electively home educate a child who already has an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP) this will continue to be monitored and reviewed via Annual Review meetings. The health and/or social care support for a child with an EHCP should not be affected by you choosing to electively home educate your child.

Torbay Elective Home Education Team contact information:

Email:  ehe@torbay.gov.uk                       

Tel No:  01803 206473 Business Support, Elective Home Education Team

Postal address:  Elective Home Education Team, Torbay Education, 2^nd Floor, Electric House, Castle Circus, Torquay, TQ1 3DR

EHE Lead Professional:  David Bevan

Senior Head of Vulnerable Students Team:  Dan Hamer

A copy of the Elective Home Education Policy and Procedures document can be requested by contacting the Elective Home Education Team. 

See Home education useful websites

Torbay Council work hard to provide our customers with the best possible service.  Many people wish to compliment us on what we do for example where a member of staff has been particularly helpful or polite or where a service has exceeded expectation or where a policy has resulted in great customer satisfaction.  Sometimes, however, we are unable to meet our customers’ expectations, and as with compliments, when we have done something well, we use any complaints as learning points to try and improve our services.  Any complaint about the Elective Home Education Team, should be through the central councils complaints procedure, which can be found at https://www.torbay.gov.uk/feedback/

At South Devon College we run a very successful and popular Elective Home Education programme, which is designed to meet the needs of the home educating community in South Devon.

If your child is registered with your Local Authority as home educated and will be in school year 10 or 11 in September, you can apply for a place on our course. 

Information for families Electively Home Educating in Torbay

Please see the sections below for weblinks you may find useful.

We are aware that there are also a wide range of online forums that we have not included links to, but,  that you may wish to explore yourself.

Advice and activities to support children and parents with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Sharing your feelings, whether they’re good or bad, is a healthy thing to do. It helps release anxiety, improves communication and helps you get closer to others and for them to get closer to you. It also reduces the chances of you developing depression and eating disorders.

There is always help and support for you when you need it – you just have to ask. Take a look at the pages below or visit: youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms

These are unpredictable attacks of extreme anxiety that usually last for about ten minutes. They make you feel out of control and may cause you to have difficulty breathing. You may also have other signs of anxiety such as a racing heart, trembling, feeling sick or fainting. 

Panic attacks usually last for about 10 minutes before the feelings calm down and gradually go away, but they can leave you feeling quite shaken. 

Why does it affect some people more than others?

It can be difficult to work out why some people are more affected than others but it could be: A family history of anxiety. A trauma or bad experience in childhood. Some physical or mental health problems can make you anxious. It can just be part of your personality. Some drugs can cause high anxiety. 

What Can I Do?

Panic attacks are not life threatening even though they make you feel that way. Because of this, sufferers may restrict their normal activities in order to avoid them but this is not the answer! Confront your fear. When the symptoms of panic start, try the following:

• Tell yourself that you are not in danger and the symptoms are caused by anxiety.
• Try to keep doing things. If possible, don’t leave the situation until the anxiety has subsided.
• Don’t run away from your fear. This will help you to discover that nothing bad is going to happen.
• As the anxiety begins to pass, start to focus on what you were doing before.
• It can be helpful if someone is with you, reassuring you that the symptoms are nothing to worry about.

Relaxation Techniques

Learning some simple relaxation techniques can help to relieve some of this stress and tension, and may also help you to deal more effectively with your panic attacks when they occur.

You can find out more about Deep Breathing and Deep Muscle Relaxation exercises from your school nurse or from the Health Matters site. You will also need to practice these exercises.

There’s no quick fix but you can learn to control your attacks. If they happen frequently or you are finding them difficult to control, ask your school nurse or family doctor for more specialised help.

Self-esteem is what you feel and think about yourself, your abilities, the positive and negative things about you and what you expect for your future.

Low self-esteem makes you feel negative about yourself and you will tend to focus on your weaknesses rather than your strengths.

Causes

There is no single cause but some factors that can contribute to low self-esteem include:

• Difficult childhood experiences – bullying, difficult family relationships
• Difficult life events – death of someone close, end of a relationship, long-term illness, unemployment.
• Personality and temperament
• Feeling ‘different’
• Relationships where you don’t feel accepted or “good enough”
• Stress and excessive pressure
• Negative thinking patterns – comparing yourself to others or developing high unachievable standards for yourself
• Discrimination and stigma
• Social isolation and loneliness
• Trauma, abuse – trauma, physical, sexual or psychological abuse lead to feelings of guilt and low self-worth
• Mental health problems

Improving self-esteem

Doing something that you enjoy, and that you are good at, can help build your confidence and increase your self-esteem:

Work: This could be anything from paid work, volunteering or caring.

Hobbies: Try something that you feel you have some natural ability, or something that you have always wanted to try. Find activities that will not challenge you too much to begin with so that you can feel you have achieved something and have a chance to build your confidence.

Try to build positive relationships: Try to associate with people who will not criticise you. If you spend time around positive and supportive people, you are more likely to have a better self-image and feel more confident. Also, if you are caring and supportive to other people, you are more likely to get a positive response from them.

Learn to be assertive: Being assertive means you value yourself and others, and can communicate with mutual respect. It will help you to set clear boundaries.

Physical activity: Physical activity helps improve people’s sense of wellbeing and image of themselves. Exercise releases ‘feel-good’ hormones that can help improve your mood, particularly if you do it outside.

Sleep: Lack of sleep can cause negative feelings to be exaggerated, so it’s important to make sure you get enough sleep.

Diet: Eating a healthy diet, drinking plenty of water, avoiding caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs can help improve your general wellbeing which will result in you feeling healthier and happier.

Set yourself a challenge: Set yourself achievable goals and work towards achieving them. You will feel satisfied and proud of yourself when you achieve your goal, and feel more positive about yourself as a result.

Learn to identify and challenge negative beliefs: It will help to understand more about your negative beliefs about yourself and where they came from. Ask a friend or relative to support you. If you are feeling very distressed, it might be better to seek professional help. 

Who can help me to improve my self-esteem?

• Any trusted adult
• A family member
• A teacher or support worker at school
• Your school nurse

Adolescence refers to the period of physical and psychological development between childhood and adulthood. The beginning of adolescence is around the onset of puberty, which brings dramatic alterations in hormone levels and consequent physical changes.

Puberty onset is also associated with profound changes in drives, motivations, psychology, and social life; these changes continue throughout adolescence.

Teenager’s brains change a lot before they reach adulthood. This includes the brain getting better at recognising emotions.

During teenage years, young people are not using their brains in the same way adults might, they often make decisions based on emotion, impulses and aggression – adults use more problem solving skills.

There are lots of interesting YouTube videos about teenage brain and behaviour development.

Download or view our information on brain development in teenage years.

Torbay Young Carers Service are a friendly team based within Torbay Council’s Children’s Services. We provide a range of support and opportunities to young people who are in, or likely to take on a caring role.

What do we mean by Young Carer?

Torbay Young Carers Service works with young people aged up to 18, whose lives are affected by caring.  The person being cared for may have a disability, a serious or long-term illness, mental ill-health or be affected by addiction issues.

The person being cared for is usually a parent, sibling or other family member.

The care tasks young carers may be involved in include:

• Practical care – Cooking, Cleaning, Shopping.
• Personal care – Washing, dressing or toileting.
• Family responsibilities – Managing money and household budgets, Completing forms and/or household responsibilities.
• Medical care – Reminding the cared for to take medication, administering medication, giving injections etc.
• Emotional care – Listening and/or talking to the cared for person about their feelings, concerns and difficulties.
• Care of younger siblings – Helping to look after a sibling because their parent/s are unable to, or need assistance at times.

Young carers may be the sole carer, or they may be supporting another family member in care tasks

What support do we Provide?

The support plan will vary depending on the individual needs of the young carer or their family, but examples include:

• Information and advice
• Young Carers Groups
• In-school support
• Activities and outings
• Individual support
• Family events
• Advice on making services accessible to young carers
• Training and awareness events around young carers

Contact Us:

• By telephone on 01803 208100
• By email at youngcarers@torbay.gov.uk
• www.torbayfamilyhub.org.uk

If you’re being bullied, whether it’s online or at school, university or work, it can be really difficult and leave you feeling hurt – but you are not alone. Advice on how you can tell someone and get help.

Bullying can happen anywhere and be about anything. We’ve got advice about different types of bullying, and how you can get help and support.

You can find more support and information here

• Young Minds, coping with bullying 
• Anti-Bullying Alliance 
• Anti-Bullying Network
• Childline: Bullying advice and getting help:
• Childline: types of bullying
• Young Minds – feelings and symptoms: 

During bereavement, it can help a child to talk about the person who’s died, whether it was a grandparent, parent, brother, sister or friend. Direct, honest and open communication is more helpful than trying to protect your child by hiding the truth.

Information and advice on supporting a bereaved child

Relationships can make you feel amazing. But they can also leave you feeling stressed out and upset. Get advice if you’re having problems with relationships. 

Pressure to do well in exams can be overwhelming and affect your mental health. Here’s some advice if it’s all getting a bit too much.

How to beat it

Talk
Having someone to talk to about your work can help. Support from a parent, tutor or other adult can help you talk about your worries and keep things in perspective.

Eat well
During the exam period it is important that you eat well. Always eat breakfast and do not skip lunch. Going into an exam with an empty stomach will affect your concentration. But, avoid a big meal just before your exam as it can make you feel sleepy.

Fruits and proteins are good source of energy
Avoid too many high sugar, high caffeinated drinks
If possible carry a water bottle to the exam hall to rehydrate

Sleep
Good sleep will improve thinking and concentration. You need between 8 and 10 hours sleep a night. Stop studying, using a computer, playing electronic games or watching TV at least half an hour before bed. Cramming all night before an exam is a bad idea.

Exercise
It is a proven that regular exercise reduces stress. Even a brisk walk to school before your exam will help you to feel more relaxed.

Time Out
It’s really important that you take time out to relax. Try to build time off into your revision timetable and take regular breaks to do something you enjoy. Enjoy your time off, but you need to get enough sleep so avoid late nights!

Organise and Prepare
Make sure you have all the things you need for the exam: your stationery, your identity badge, your watch, water bottle etc. Last-minute searching for things can stress your mind further and create panic during the exam. For the hour or so before your exam, take time out to relax. Don’t stress yourself by trying to cram more information to your already worked-up brain! Have a drink, eat a light snack and take some deep breaths.

Forget
Once the exam is over try not to worry about the results or waste time discussing what your friends have written. Go and do something you enjoy and then plan how you can best prepare for your next exam.

Your online mental wellbeing community, free, safe and anonymous support

Find out how you can help a child to have good mental health, including knowing how to talk to a child about their mental health, and when to spot signs they might be struggling.

We give straightforward support for problems that young people might be facing.

We provide help to young people aged 8–18 across Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. We can speak to you on the phone, online or face to face. We can help you overcome the challenges that hold you back. Achieve the things that matter to you. Give you skills and strategies to help you move forward.

Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time, we help hundreds of young people every year. If you need it, we are here.

To refer to Checkpoint, please scan the QR code

Advice and activities to support children and parents with their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Children and young people can get depressed too.
It’s important to get help early if you think your child may be depressed. The longer it goes on, the more likely it is to disrupt your child’s life and turn into a long-term problem.

When you’re living with a mental health problem, or supporting someone who is, having access to the right information – about a condition, treatment options, or practical issues – is vital. Mind can help.

A therapeutic mobile game to help 7-12 year olds learn to self-manage their fears and worries.

Self-harm is when people hurt themselves or damage their health on purpose. Sometimes people do this in secret. There are lots of different reasons why someone might self-harm, but there are also different ways to cope and get help.

TRIGGER WARNING: This page contains information about self-harm which may bring up difficult feelings.

Why do people self-harm?
There are lots of reasons why young people might self-harm. The need to hurt yourself usually comes from emotions that are very difficult to cope with.

Young people might self-harm because it’s a way of releasing tension or controlling something. It’s a physical pain that you can deal with, rather than an emotional feeling that you might find hard to cope with. Self-harm can also be used as a form of self-punishment for something you feel bad about.

Feeling alone, angry, experiencing low self-esteem and not feeling good enough can also lead to self-harming. The reasons for self-harming can be very personal so it’s okay if you don’t know why you self-harm. Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to deal with things on your own, contact Childline or Bromley Community Wellbeing and try to find other ways of expressing your emotions – check out Childline’s self-harm coping techniques.

Making sure all young people get the best possible mental health support and have the resilience to overcome life’s challenges.

If you or someone you know self-harms there is always a listening ear available from the Samaritans.

The Hub of Hope is a first of its kind, national mental health database which brings together organisations and charities, large and small, from across the country who offer mental health advice and support, together in one place.

There are lots of way to feel calmer. It’s about finding what works for you. Try some of CalmZones breathing exercises, activities, games and videos to help let go of stress.

Pete’s Dragons offer support and comfort after suicide loss.

Abuse in teenage relationships is when you begin to feel scared or controlled by the person you’re with. You may be confused because it feels like a loving relationship but often only when you behave in a certain way. This can happen at any age, regardless of gender.

The Torbay Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service provides emotional and mental health assessment and treatment to children, young people, aged 0-18 years, and their families/carers within Torbay.

CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health) provide assessment and treatment for children and young people who are experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties. Treatment options include; crisis/self-harm assessment, CBT, EMDR, Family therapy, trauma work and Eating Disorder work. CAMHS also provides consultation support to professionals within social care, health, education and the voluntary sector.

Referrals can be made through your GP, Health Visitor, School Nurse, Social Worker, or by self-referral.

Early intervention support is offered through the Mental Health in Schools Team.

Having an active sex life can lead to health benefits such as improving the condition of your heart, reducing stress and improving mental health. Being part of a happy, healthy relationship can also reduce depression and anxiety. Even just having a hug can reduce your blood pressure and improve your sense of well-being.

These pages provide information and advice on topics that we hear about in our clinics every day that are related to your sexual health and general well-being.

There are a range of helpful websites that you can access online. If you discover additional resources that may be useful, please advise the Knowledge Lead for this topic.

Contraception, Sexual Health and HIV Service  | Devon Sexual Health

Online Safety for Children – Tips & Guides | NSPCC

About the That Guy campaign | That Guy (that-guy.co.uk)

Gender Identity & Mental Health | Guide For Parents | YoungMinds

Thinkuknow.co.uk | NCA CEOP

eddystone.org.uk | The Eddystone Trust

culturereframed.org | Culture Reframed | 
Free training packages for parents, e.g. ‘Porn and the Brain’

heygirls.co.uk/education/schools/| Hey Girls| 
A new resource to help schools have positive conversations with their pupils about periods.

Brook, Healthy lifestyles for young people/| Brook| 
Free confidential sexual health & wellbeing experts including Lets’ talk period

Taking care of your own sexual health is important. Find out more about –
safer sex, pregnancy, Thrush, bacterial vaginosis, general hygiene and more

Contraception helps to prevent unwanted pregnancy and there’s no shortage of choice with 12 methods available. Please contact Devon & Torbay Sexual Health Clinic if you want to talk about or access any of these methods.

Help your young person cut back with great sugar swap ideas and discover easy ways to make a swap when you next shop.

How much physical activity should children and young people aged 5 to 18 do to keep healthy? Advice and guidance from the NHS

As your teenage years are such an important time for growth and development, a healthy, varied diet is essential to ensure that you receive all the energy and nutrients you need to concentrate well at school and take part in sports and activities. Top tips from the British Nutrition Foundation

The use of both legal and illegal drugs among teenagers and young adults is widespread. Teenagers are likely to experiment, test boundaries and take risks. Smoking, drinking and trying drugs are some of the most common ways in which many young people do this. However, substance misuse is also one of the most common risks to a young person’s health and development. All drugs have the potential to cause harm, some can be addictive, and using drugs in combination can increase the risks. Legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco can be very addictive. Illegal drugs include cannabis, cocaine, ecstasy and heroin.

View or download our helpful guides.

Find out about the reasons that some teenagers drink, what are the risks, and how can parents and carers help keep them healthy and out of trouble.

Should my child drink alcohol advice from the NHS

When someone in the family is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it can cause stress, violence and neglect. It can make children feel confused and alone. Get advice and support from Checkpoint. 

Scan the QR code to refer to Checkpoint.

Flying the nest – how to stay safe if you’re Leaving home for the first time, worried about spiking, festivals or cannabis edibles? Get advice from FRANK

Information and advice on language development and what to expect around the age of 13

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• Understand instructions that don’t follow the same order as words in the sentence
• Use language to try to persuade people
• Use inference
• Understand and explain double meanings
• Define words
• Use more complex vocabulary
• Talk in longer sentences (7-12 words)
• Give detailed explanations
• Create more complex stories
• Use slang and sarcasm

If you have any concerns, Talk to your school nurse, GP, school/setting practitioner

CFHD All age Advice line 0333 321 9448 (Mon-Fri 2pm-4.30pm

Information and advice on language development and what to expect around the age of 18

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• Follow complex instructions and directions
• Use a range of arguments to persuade others
• Understand words that are used in questions in exams and the classroom eg evaluate, compile
• Use a wide range of vocabulary
• Talk using longer sentences (average length of 9-13 words)
• Use more advanced ‘connecting’ words to make complex sentences
• Switch easily between informal and formal styles of talking
• Understand sarcasm by the situation and without the need for a sarcastic tone of voice. Can use sarcasm in humour
• Take part in group social interactions, knowing appropriate times to join in conversations

If you have any concerns, talk to your school nurse, GP, school/setting practitioner

CFHD All age Advice line 0333 321 9448 (Mon-Fri 2pm-4.30pm

Information about the development of speech, language and communication – what to expect:

Ages and stages (speechandlanguage.org.uk)

Universally Speaking 11-18yrs

Development Milestones for Your 18-Year-Old Child (verywellfamily.com)

Children and Family Health Facebook. CFHD FB School Age

The most fundamental life skill is the ability to communicate. Speech, language and communication needs is the term used to describe difficulties with:

• producing speech sounds accurately
• stammering
• voice problems, such as hoarseness and loss of voice
• understanding language (making sense of what people say)
• using language (words and sentences)
• interacting with others, for example, difficulties understanding and using the non-verbal rules of good communication, using language in different ways to question, clarify or describe things or taking into account other people’s perspectives.

Some difficulties are short-term but others will be more permanent and remain throughout childhood and adult life. 

Everyone with SLCN is different and may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or communication at different times of their lives.

Find out more about the common features of SLCN.

Makaton is a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation of language and expression. Find out more about Makaton here.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/joinin/something-special-what-is-makaton