Countdown to Christmas with Child Friendly Warwickshire
The festive season is here, and it's all about bringing joy, togetherness, and creating special memories.
To make it easier to find; things to do, ways to show kindness and tips to keep families healthy and safe, Child Friendly Warwickshire’s online advent calendar has it covered.
The calendar, available at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/adventcalendar supports the programme’s ambitions to help children and young people be happy, heard, healthy, safe and skilled.
The first door can be opened on 1 December 2023 and there will be a different focus each day up to 25 December 2023, including:
- Feeling well and happy
- Acts of kindness
- Family time
- Creativity and crafts
- Storytelling
- Volunteering
- Staying safe
- Being healthy and active
- Outdoor activities
- Learning new skills
- Managing holiday stresses
Cllr Sue Markham, portfolio holder for Children and Families said: “Each door on the virtual advent calendar offers a little bit of information to inspire joy, learning, or kindness in everyone. Child Friendly objectives are at the core of this campaign however the messages apply to all - demonstrating how all residents play a part in creating a kind and supportive county.”
The first post of the festive season will be about looking after children's well-being. Good mental health and emotional wellbeing can be difficult to define. It is closely linked with physical health and wellbeing and one can affect the other.
Find information below on services and support aiming to help children and young people to look after their mental and emotional health and find support if they are experiencing difficulties.
Peer mentor support service - This is an early intervention/prevention service offers one-to-one peer mentoring support and buddy support to three main groups of children and young people:
Rise – Coventry and Warwickshire’s wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people. To help you understand how Rise can help, view the A Journey with Rise leaflet
Kooth – A free, safe, and anonymous online support platform for young people aged 11-25, providing confidential counselling and self-help tools.
Support for Parents - Parenting Mental Health - Tailored support, training, and connection for parents of children or young people with mental health challenges.
'Hope' animation shares genuine mental health journeys from young people in Warwickshire. The young adults within the video share details of the challenges they have faced and how they started to feel better.
Cllr Markham continued: “The emotional wellbeing of children is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health allows children and young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and to grow into well rounded adults.”
For more information and support please visit:
We’ll see you tomorrow for day two of our Child Friendly advent calendar!! And make sure you follow us on social media - Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - and share your own Child friendly experiences using the hashtags #KindWarwickshire #ChildFriendlyWarwickshire #ChildFriendlyChristmas