Author: Smith Helen (BFWH)

April 2020

Blackpool CAMHS
COVID—19
Currently Blackpool Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) have had to change the way in which they work to ensure the safety of the public and to ensure we are all following the government guidleines.
CAMHS appointments
Appointments now will be by telephone. Children, young people and their parents or carers, will be seen in the clinic ONLY if it is seen as urgent. Please call and discuss this with the person your appointment is with if you are concerned. Clinicians are also contacting families with planned appointments via the telephone on a daily basis.
Prescription requests CAMHS
Please try giving us 7 working days for repeat prescriptions Note we are still giving only maximum 30 day prescriptions We can assure you plans are being made to ensure repeat prescription of medications can be continued, do keep yourself updated through national / local news/media
CAMHS Duty
01253957160
CAMHS DUTY clinicians will still be on call to Blackpool Paediatric A&E and wards in emergency cases only.
CAMHS DUTY can still be accessed by families and professionals if they feel they would benefit from telephone support and advice , particularly if you are increasingly worried or concerned to a child’s decline in emotional and mental health presentation.
Hopefully the following information you will find easy to follow and supportive to ensure a positive mindset during this difficult and unsettling time.
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CASHER
The Child & Adolescent Support & Help Enhanced Response Team
Available 7 days a week
Please ring the CASHER team to arrange where to meet at BVH.
07810 696565
Weekdays 5pm—10pm
Weekends 10am—8pm
Suitable for:
Children and young people aged 18 and under who present with:
Anxiety/Depression
Feeling worried or upset
Low self-esteem/Low confidence
Need Advice/Someone to talk to?
During the current period, as an alternative/addition to our groups, 1:1 URGENT Support will be offered.
To book a place at this clinic, please contact the CASHER Team
07810 696565 or bfwh.casher.team@nhs.net

Find Inside
CAMHS & CASHER 1
Top Tips………………………….2& 3
Safety Plan & Grounding Techniques 3
Mindfulness 4

Ways to keep safe
Stay home
Wash Hands regularly with soap
Cough into elbow
Social distance
Isolate self and immediate family if symptoms appear
Leave house only for food, health reasons or work and one form of exercise .

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Top Tips to help you if you are worried about the Covid-19 Coronavirus
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak means that life is changing for all of us for a while. It may cause you to feel anxious, stressed, worried, sad, bored, lonely or frustrated. It's important to remember it is OK to feel this way and that everyone reacts differently. Remember, this situation is temporary and, for most of us, these difficult feelings will pass. There are some simple things you can do to help you take care of your mental health and wellbeing during times of uncertainty. Doing so will help you think clearly, and make sure you are able to look after yourself and those you care about.
Stay Connected with People
Maintaining healthy relationships with people we trust is important for our mental wellbeing, so think about how you can stay in touch with friends and family while needing to stay at home You could try phone calls, video calls or social media instead of meeting in person – whether it's with people you normally see often or connecting with old friends.
Talk about your worries
It's normal to feel a bit worried, scared or helpless about the current situation. Remember: it is OK to share your concerns with others you trust – and doing so may help them too. If you cannot speak to someone you know or if doing so has not helped, there are plenty of helplines you can try instead.
Support and Help Others
Helping someone else can benefit you as well as them, so try to be a little more understanding of other people's concerns, worries or behaviours at this time. Try to think of things you can do to help those around you. Is there a friend or family member nearby you could message? Are there any community groups you could join to support others locally? Remember, it is important to do this in line with official coronavirus guidance to keep everyone safe.
Feel Prepared
Working through the implications of staying at home should help you feel more prepared and less concerned. Think through a normal week: how will it be affected and what do you need to do to solve any problems? You could also think about who you can get help from locally – as well as people you know, lots of local and community help groups are being set up. Try to remember this disruption should only be temporary.

Look after your body
Our physical health has a big impact on how we feel. At times like these, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy patterns of behaviour that end up making you feel worse. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, drink enough water and exercise regularly. Avoid smoking or drugs, and try not to drink too much alcohol. You can leave your house, alone or with members of your household, for 1 form of exercise a day – like a walk, run or bike ride. But make you keep a safe 2-metre distance from others.
Stick to the Facts
Find a credible source you can trust – such as GOV.UK or the NHS website – and fact-check information you get from newsfeeds, social media or other people. Think about how possibly inaccurate information could affect others too. Try not to share information without fact-checking against credible sources. You might also want to consider limiting the time you spend watching, reading or listening to coverage of the outbreak, including on social media, and think about turning off breaking-news alerts on your phone. You could set yourself a specific time to read updates or limit yourself to a couple of checks a day.
Stay on top of difficult feelings
Concern about the coronavirus outbreak is perfectly normal. However, some people may experience intense anxiety that can affect their daily life. Try to focus on the things you can control, such as your behaviour, who you speak to, and where and how often you get information. It's fine to acknowledge that some things are outside of your control, but if constant thoughts about coronavirus are making you feel anxious or overwhelmed, try some ideas to help manage your anxiety or listening to an audio guide.
Do things you enjoy
If we are feeling worried, anxious or low, we might stop doing things we usually enjoy. Focusing on your favourite hobby, relaxing indoors or connecting with others can help with anxious thoughts and feelings. If you cannot do the things you normally enjoy because you are staying at home, think about how you could adapt them, or try something new. There are lots of free tutorials and courses online, and people are coming up with inventive new ways to do things, like hosting online pub quizzes and music concerts.

Focus on the present
Focusing on the present, rather than worrying about the future, can help with difficult emotions and improve our wellbeing. Relaxation techniques can also help some people deal with feelings of anxiety, or you could try our mindful breathing video.
Look after your sleep
Good-quality sleep makes a big difference to how we feel mentally and physically, so it is important to get enough. Try to maintain regular sleeping patterns and keep up good sleep hygiene practices – like avoiding screens before bed, cutting back on caffeine and creating a restful environment.

When it rains, look for the rainbows, when its dark look for the stars..

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Safety Plan

In CAMHS we sometimes use what we call safety plans. Which basically means we safely plan with our young people next steps to support their own health and wellbeing before it feels too out of control. Which then can sometimes lead onto us finding it difficult to move on from our stresses and out of control feelings.
Here is an example of a safety plan designed with young people in mind . The idea is to write down what helps and supports you when we you’re feeling great, that way the plan will (hopefully) keep you feeling this way. It also focuses on what are the early warning signs that you’re starting to feel sad and stressed. This way people who know you well can start to recognize you’re just not feeling yourself. The safety plan is always best to be completed with adult who you trust and who can remind you and encourage you. (Adults may find it useful too.)

Care & Safety Plan
When you are feeling stressed, down, angry, irritated or generally out of sorts, follow a simple plan, one step at a time until you are feeling ok and safe again.
Always remember:
These feelings will pass.
Keep the plan where you can easily find it when you’ll need it.
What I need to do to reduce the risk of me acting on my thoughts becoming out of control:
What warning signs or triggers is there that make me feel more out of control?
What have I done in the past that helped? What ways of coping do I have?
What I will do to help calm and soothe myself:
What I will tell myself as alternatives to my out of control thoughts:
What would I say to a close friend who was feeling this way?
What could others do that would help?
Who can I call:
Friend or relative:
A safe place I can go to:

What have I done in the past that helped? What ways of coping do I have?
What I will do to help calm and soothe myself:
What I will tell myself as alternatives to my out of control thoughts:
What would I say to a close friend who was feeling this way?
What could others do that would help me?
Who can I call:
Friend or relative:
A safe place I can go to:

Grounding Techniques
When your mind is racing mind, grounding brings you back to the here-and-now and is very helpful in managing overwhelming feelings or anxiety. It is a great way to calm down quickly. Grounding basically means to bring your focus to what is happening to you physically, either in your body or in your surroundings, instead of being trapped by the thoughts in your mind that are causing you to feel anxious. Here is one technique that might be useful to try:
Memory Game
When you are feeling anxious, you need to try to reorient yourself to the present moment, and using declarative memory can help with this. e.g. Name as many types of dog breeds you can. How many different places have you been too? Repeat the alphabet backwards?

“You can’t stop the waves but you can learn how to surf “

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Mindfulness
Mindful activities can help as they help you to focus and take control of your mind and not let your mind take control of you.
Here are some simple activities you can try at home:
Squeeze Muscles: Starting at your toes, pick one muscle and squeeze it tight. Count to five. Release, and notice how your body changes. Repeat exercise moving up your body.
Belly Breathing: Put one hand on your stomach and one hand on your chest. Slowly breathe in from your stomach (expand like a balloon) and slowly breathe out (deflate).
Mindful Meal: Pay attention to the smell, taste and look of your food. No multitasking (doing other things at the same time).
Blowing Bubbles: Notice their shapes, textures and colours.
Meditation: Sit in a relaxed, comfortable position. Pick something to focus on, like your breath. When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath.
Colouring: Colour something. Focus on the colours and designs.
Listening to Music: Focus on the whole song, or listen specifically to the voice or an instrument.

Blackpool CAMHS
Whitegate Health Centre
2nd Floor
Whitegate Drive
Blackpool
FY3 9ES
01253 957160
@blackpool_PMHW
@entwined_minds