You might notice some behaviours in your child during times of change or when life is feeling difficult, for example:

• They might be especially clingy, tearful or reluctant to go to school.
• They might have physical symptoms like an upset stomach, feeling sick or a headache.
• Their sleep might be affected and they might wet the bed.
• They might be very argumentative, be uncooperative or behave in a way that you find really challenging.

Some general things  which you can do at home will encourage children to be more resilient and able to cope with life’s ups and downs

• Agree house rules and be consistent as far as possible. Routine is really helpful for children to feel safe.
• Reward good behaviour and acknowledge this by clearly saying what it is your child has done well and why you are pleased.
• Provide a healthy and balanced diet and try to eat family meals together as much as possible.
• Encourage your child to talk about their day, and offer reassurance and praise. Talking and listening properly require hard work and patience, but are really important especially as children get older or when things feel tense or difficult.
• Support your child to sleep well. Ensure wind down time at bed time, read a book or tell a story.

The commissioned service within North Yorkshire is provided by The Sleep Charity. It uses behavioural therapy, sleep clinics and workshops – rather than medication – to improve a child’s sleep health.

Referral information can be found here. Once referred, a child and their family will be triaged to the most appropriate level of support, based on need, ranging from workshops and webinars, to one-on-one support with a specialist sleep practitioner.

The Sleep Charity have also been commissioned to provide its online Foundation Sleep Workshop for families and professionals in the North Yorkshire area. More information about the workshop can be found here.