Spot and Support: Low Mood and Depression

Every child has sad spells, and most pass within days. When the signs haven't settled after a couple of weeks, or a young person starts to talk about the future as hopeless, it's time to do something. Young people are often good at looking fine. Watch for changes in sleep, eating or friendships, lost interest in things they used to enjoy and, in younger children, headaches and stomach aches.

You'll learn how to ask about it without making a child feel in trouble, and when to use your safeguarding route or refer to CAMHS. Waiting lists can be long, so you'll also see how to keep a young person safe in the meantime, including with a safety plan from stayingsafe.net.

There are ideas to share with parents too, like breaking a hard day into five-minute chunks.