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Resources for families

Books & Guides – For understanding more about anxiety

Willetts, L., & Waite, P. (2014). Can I tell you about Anxiety?: A guide for friends, family and professionals: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Creswell, C., & Willetts, L. (2018).  Helping your child with fears and worries: A self-help guide for parents.London: LittleBrown.

Support Organisations

In an emergency, you can call 999, or go to A&E. These are not just reserved for physical health emergencies and can assist with emergencies relating to emotional difficulties, such as severe anxiety or low mood.

NHS

The NHS website has lots of information about what anxiety is and how to know if anxiety in children or adults is problematic. It also has information on how to support children and adults with anxiety and how to know when to seek help. It also has real stories and audio guides on various issues that may affect people with anxiety.

Young Minds

Young Minds is a charity committed to improving the mental health of young people. They provide support for those worried about a young person’s behaviour or mental health and provides information leaflets. 

On their website, you can find information about different mental health difficulties that affect young people and about specific symptoms. They also have support and information about what to do in an emergency, how you can talk to and support your child and how young people’s NHS mental health services work.

Mind

Mind provides information on mental health problems and treatments.

On their website, you can find information about how to support a child with mental health difficulties as a parent and how you can look after yourself whilst doing so. There is also information about how to find different kinds of support (e.g. face-to-face, over the phone, or things that you can do yourself).

The Child Mind Institute

The Child Mind Institute website contains lots of articles which provide information on anxiety problems in children (both for specific and general difficulties), as well as useful tips on how to support anxious children. It also has an “Ask an expert” section with FAQ’s and several guides to help families with other difficulties faced in childhood.

The Child Mind Institute has published a useful article on “What to do (and not do) when children are anxious” with 10 useful tips.