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Depression or Low Mood

Depression is a low mood that is persistent and lasts for months rather than a few days. It impacts on everyday life. It can make things harder to do and make things seem pointless. At its most severe, it can make people feel suicidal.

Some symptoms of low mood or depression include:

  • Not wanting to do things that they previously enjoyed
  • Avoiding friends or social situations
  • Sleeping more or less than normal
  • Eating more or less than normal
  • Feeling irritable, miserable or upset
  • Being self-critical
  • Feeling hopeless
  • May want to self-harm
  • Feeling tired and not having any energy

Depression can affect anyone at any stage of their life.

  • CBT Toolbox for Children and Adolescents by Amanda Crowder, Lisa Weed Phifer and Tracy Elsenraat
  • Coping with an Anxious or Depressed Child: A Guide for Parents and Carers by Samantha Cartwright-Hatton
  • Helping Children Who Bottle Up Their Feelings by Margot Sunderland and Nicky Armstrong
  • Helping Children with Low Self-esteem by Margot Sunderland and Nicky Armstrong
  • Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel By Changing the Way You Think by Dennis Greenberger and Christine A Padesky
  • So Young, So Sad, So Listen by Philip Graham and Carol Hughes
  • The Big Book of Blob Trees by Pip Wilson
  • What To Do When… You Grumble Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Negativity by Dawn Huebner
  • Lancashire Libraries - Reading Well for Young People – Shelf Help
  • The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust book recommendations and book club

Eresource icon.png e-Resources

Mental Health First Aid England - Downloadable resources/leaflets, single page PDF posters that school can use and videos for training.

MindEd - MindEd is a free educational resource on children and young people's mental health for all adults.

Young Minds - Training courses, free downloadable booklets/leaflets and posters/resources/materials/lesson plans for teachers and school staff – also available to order at a cost.

Royal College of Psychiatrists - Online advice, guidance and downloadable factsheets for staff, parents and CYP to use (good for parents’ evenings) with leaflets available to order at a cost.

MIND - Information booklets and leaflets.

The Mix - Information for professionals and CYP about a variety of MH issues.

Moodjuice - Self-help guides and tools for professionals.

Time to Change - Resources for staff. Schools areas for staff to register.

Charlie Waller Memorial Trust - Training and self-help resources for professionals and resources to use with CYP or parents/carers.

Playfield Institute - Hands On - Help and practical advice for supporting children and young people's mental health and emotional wellbeing.

CAMHS resources - This site was created for young people, carers and professionals to pool together lots of helpful resources from across the internet that are available to help support mental health and well-being.

Get Self Help - This website provides CBT self-help and therapy resources, including worksheets and information sheets and self-help mp3s.

Psychology Tools - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Worksheets, Handouts, And Self-Help Resources.

Centre for Clinical Interventions - Self-help resources for mental health problems.

Health and Social Care Board - Choice and Medication leaflets are designed to help service users, carers and family members understand their medicines better, and to make more informed decisions, best as part of a discussion with a healthcare professional.

HeadMeds - Gives general information about medication. HeadMeds does not give medical advice. 

NHS Northumberland, Tyne & Wear - Self-help leaflets.

Student against depression - Self-help section and guidance about what to do when feeling stressed, anxious, can’t sleep etc.

onyourmindglos - Helpful guides about emotional health.

Kooth - Free, safe and anonymous online support for young people, accredited counsellors for mental health needs.

Childline - Information and advice.

Stemming Teenage Mental Illness - Advice and guidance.

CALM – Campaign Against Living Miserably - Targeted at young men aged 15-35 and set up in response to the high suicide rate among young men. Freephone 0800 585858 helpline available 5pm – 12pm.

Depression Alliance - Depression Alliance brings people together to end the loneliness and isolation of depression. They also campaign to end the stigma of depression and to raise awareness of what it means to live with it.

  • Headspace is a personal guide to health and happiness. Designed to help you focus, breathe, stay calm, perform at your best, and get a better night’s rest through the life-changing skills of relaxation, meditation and mindfulness.
  • Calm is an app for meditation and sleep. Designed to help lower stress, lessen anxiety, and assist in a more restful sleep with guided meditations, Sleep Stories, breathing programs, masterclasses and relaxing music. Apple store download | Google Play store download
  • MindShift uses strategies based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help you learn to relax and be mindful, develop more effective ways of thinking, and use active steps to take charge of your anxiety. Apple store download | Google Play store download
  • 7 cups is a free anonymous emotional support and counselling from trained active listeners
  • WellMind is a free NHS mental health and wellbeing app designed to help you with stress, anxiety and depression. The app includes advice, tips and tools to improve your mental health and boost your wellbeing.
  • Smiling Mind is a web and app-based program developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to people’s lives

Watch videos in our depression/low mood playlist on our YouTube channel.

Training icon (2).png Training 

Your Primary Mental Health Worker: Helen Capstick

Your Primary Mental Health Worker: Michelle Taylor

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training - for professionals working with children and young people aged 8-18. Focused on prevention, signposting and early recognition. 2-day and 1-day courses. Find out when your Primary Mental Health Worker is running local courses.
  • Bespoke training around low mood/depression is offered by your PMHW.
  • Training around depression is provided by the Lancashire Emotional Health in Schools Service. The training will be led by Dr. Richard Slinger, LEHSS Service Lead and his team within Lancaster University. These sessions are aimed at primary and secondary school, college staff, especially SENCOs, pastoral leads, mentors, or any other staff with specific responsibility for pupils’ emotional health. It is particularly relevant for schools developing a ‘Designated Lead for Mental Health’ role. Limited free places are available to staff employed by a primary, secondary or college within the Lancashire County Council area. For more information visit the lehss website.
  • MIND offer training on a variety of topics. Check their website for which courses are currently running.
  • MindEd provides online training in emotional and behavioural ‘first aid’ and essential therapeutic skills for all those involved in the mental wellbeing and care of children and young people in the UK. Check their website for which courses are currently running.

Your Primary Mental Health Workers: Liz Loftus, Joanne Collins (Wyre) and Lucy Fenucciu (Fylde).

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training - for professionals working with children and young people aged 8-18. Focused on prevention, signposting and early recognition. 2-day and 1-day courses. Find out when your Primary Mental Health Worker is running local courses.
  • Training around depression is provided by the Lancashire Emotional Health in Schools Service. The training will be led by Dr. Richard Slinger, LEHSS Service Lead and his team within Lancaster University. These sessions are aimed at primary and secondary school, college staff, especially SENCOs, pastoral leads, mentors, or any other staff with specific responsibility for pupils’ emotional health. It is particularly relevant for schools developing a ‘Designated Lead for Mental Health’ role. Limited free places are available to staff employed by a primary, secondary or college within the Lancashire County Council area. For more information visit the lehss website. 
  • MIND offer training on a variety of topics. Check their website for which courses are currently running.
  • MindEd provides online training in emotional and behavioural ‘first aid’ and essential therapeutic skills for all those involved in the mental wellbeing and care of children and young people in the UK. Check their website for which courses are currently running.

Your Primary Mental Health Worker: Wendy Hart

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training - for professionals working with children and young people aged 8-18. Focused on prevention, signposting and early recognition. 2-day and 1-day courses. Find out when your Primary Mental Health Worker is running local courses.
  • Training around depression is provided by the Lancashire Emotional Health in Schools Service. The training will be led by Dr. Richard Slinger, LEHSS Service Lead and his team within Lancaster University. These sessions are aimed at primary and secondary school, college staff, especially SENCOs, pastoral leads, mentors, or any other staff with specific responsibility for pupils’ emotional health. It is particularly relevant for schools developing a ‘Designated Lead for Mental Health’ role. Limited free places are available to staff employed by a primary, secondary or college within the Lancashire County Council area. For more information visit the lehss website. 
  • MIND offer training on a variety of topics. Check their website for which courses are currently running.
  • MindEd provides online training in emotional and behavioural ‘first aid’ and essential therapeutic skills for all those involved in the mental wellbeing and care of children and young people in the UK. Check their website for which courses are currently running.

Your Primary Mental Health Worker: Dawn Meakin

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training - for professionals working with children and young people aged 8-18. Focused on prevention, signposting and early recognition. 2-day and 1-day courses. Find out when your Primary Mental Health Worker is running local courses.
  • Bespoke training on depression is offered by your Primary Mental Health Worker.
  • Training around depression is provided by the Lancashire Emotional Health in Schools Service. The training will be led by Dr. Richard Slinger, LEHSS Service Lead and his team within Lancaster University. These sessions are aimed at primary and secondary school, college staff, especially SENCOs, pastoral leads, mentors, or any other staff with specific responsibility for pupils’ emotional health. It is particularly relevant for schools developing a ‘Designated Lead for Mental Health’ role. Limited free places are available to staff employed by a primary, secondary or college within the Lancashire County Council area. For more information visit the lehss website. 
  • MIND offer training on a variety of topics. Check their website for which courses are currently running.
  • MindEd provides online training in emotional and behavioural ‘first aid’ and essential therapeutic skills for all those involved in the mental wellbeing and care of children and young people in the UK. Check their website for which courses are currently running.

Information-guidance-icon.png Other guidance

Your Primary Mental Health Workers: Helen Smith, Bethanne Bullion and Stephanie Rowe

Your Primary Mental Health Worker: Aliki Mavraki

Your Primary Mental Health Worker: Shamaila Iqbal

  • Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training - for professionals working with children and young people aged 8-18. Focused on prevention, signposting and early recognition. 2-day and 1-day courses. Find out when your Primary Mental Health Worker is running local courses.
  • Bespoke training is offered by your local PMHW.
  • Training around depression is provided by the Lancashire Emotional Health in Schools Service. The training will be led by Dr. Richard Slinger, LEHSS Service Lead and his team within Lancaster University. These sessions are aimed at primary and secondary school, college staff, especially SENCOs, pastoral leads, mentors, or any other staff with specific responsibility for pupils’ emotional health. It is particularly relevant for schools developing a ‘Designated Lead for Mental Health’ role. Limited free places are available to staff employed by a primary, secondary or college within the Lancashire County Council area. For more information visit the lehss website. 
  • MIND offer training on a variety of topics. Check their website for which courses are currently running.
  • MindEd provides online training in emotional and behavioural ‘first aid’ and essential therapeutic skills for all those involved in the mental wellbeing and care of children and young people in the UK. Check their website for which courses are currently running.

Your Primary Mental Health Workers: Annabel Nicholls and Chloe Powers

Help-advice-icon.png Further help or advice

If you cannot find the help or advice you are searching for or you need other support for a child or young person, please contact your local CAMHS team.

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