Feeling Worried & Anxious
Health & Wellbeing Support
Don't worry if you usually seek help and support in school. During the time we are closed, you can pick from this list of services if you need to talk to someone:
Service | Information & Support Offered | Contact Details |
CAMHS Live | Support with feelings of depression, anxiety, self-harming, suicidal thoughts, stress | |
Young Minds | Crisis messenger | Text YM to 85258 |
Childline | Online, on the phone help about all areas of concern. Web site is full of useful information | 0800 1111 |
VOICE | Victim of theft, robbery, attacks, abuse, violence, harassment, or stalking? | 0300 3031965 |
CIRV | In a gang and want out? Know someone else who needs help getting out of gang related activity? | Call 24/7 on 07539183975 |
NHS | For your mind, for your body – support for all areas | |
NSPCC | National Society for the Protection of Children | 0808 800 5000 (free) |
Samaritans | Support for people in crisis | 08457 909090 |
School Nursing | Chat Service | 07480 635443 |
Kooth | Free safe and online support for young people | |
CHUMS | Mental health and emotional well-being to support children | 01525 863924 |
Apps to Download for Self-Help
App | Helps You With |
(part of STEM) | Helps you to resist or manage the urge to self-harm and can help to reduce anxiety |
(part of STEM) | A free app to help children and young people manage the symptoms of anxiety |
(part of STEM) | Combined Minds is a free app to help families and friends provide mental health support. |
Use the positive and negative habit tracker to maintain your good habits | |
Mind Shift stresses the importance of changing how you think about anxiety. Think of this app as the cheerleader in your pocket, encouraging you to take charge of your life, ride out intense emotions, and face challenging situations. | |
The Happify app is your fast-track to a good mood. Try various engaging games, activity suggestions, gratitude prompts and more to train your brain as if it were a muscle, to overcome negative thoughts. |
Local Foodbanks
Bedford is part of the Trussel Trust network of Foodbanks. Please click here for information on how to access help from a food bank and click here for opening times and locations of local foodbank centres.
Coping Strategies
Relaxation
Controlled breathing and progressive muscle relaxation:
- Rectangular Breathing – using windows, doors, picture etc. Breathe in and out deeply as your eyes follow the rectangle.
- Box Breathing – breathe in for 4, hold for 4, out for 4, hold for 4.
- 7-11 Breathing – in for 7, out for 11, or as long as you can manage. The outbreath is your friend when stressed, or not feeling stressed. It brings oxygen to your heart and brain, which we need more than ever when under pressure.
- Mindfulness Colouring – colouring a picture / number colouring book.
Thinking about something good
Example: sit and draw a picture about a time when you were on holiday. What were you doing? What could you see? Who were you with? What were you wearing? What could you smell?
Leaving a Situation
Leave the room and come back later.
Talking to Someone
Talk to someone, including assertiveness and seeking advice and support.
Mental Games
Practice mental games to shift your attention (2-3 minutes):
- Alphabet games, e.g. naming someone famous for each pair of initials: AB, BC, CD)
- Category games, e.g. naming as many categories within 2 minutes (vegetables, flavour of ice creams etc)
- Memory games, e.g. naming all the teachers in the school
- Rhyming games, e.g. listing as many rhyming words as you can within 2 minutes
You can also email worried@harrold.academy to contact a member of the safeguarding team.
‘Take care of yourself before you take care of your performance’