A new journal is being launched in Cornwall to help children aged eight to 11 better understand their emotions and nurture their wellbeing.
Called ‘MY BRILLIANT place to be ME!’, it has been created by Cornwall Council with help from primary school children across our communities.
It contains a range of activities and information that young people can work through at their own pace, at school, at home or on the move.
The journal will be officially launched at a special event between 10am and 2pm on Wednesday, February 7, at the Hall for Cornwall in Truro.
Youngsters from nine primary schools have been invited to help out, and members of the press are welcome to come along and find out more with interview opportunities available between 11am and noon.
The launch coincides with Children’s Mental Health Week, which runs from February 5 to 11.
Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, cabinet member for children and families at Cornwall Council, said:
“One of our four priorities is that ‘Cornwall is a brilliant place to be a child and grow up’ and I’m sure MY BRILLIANT place to be ME! will play a vital and fun part in helping us achieve this vision.
“We want our children and young people to be physically and mentally healthy, feel safe and have a sense of belonging in their schools and communities, all of which can help remove barriers to education and allow more children to enjoy, learn and achieve.
“My message to parents, carers and children is to visit the website and download the worksheets or the whole journal, to use whenever you like, as often as you like, and most importantly, have fun with it!"
The journal is free and available to everyone on the Headstart Kernow website from Tuesday, February 6. Hard copies will be available to local children through schools.
It is designed to help children:
- Become more aware of their emotions, and recognise and name their feelings
- Understand that all feelings are OK
- Become better able to manage uncomfortable feelings with simple self-soothing strategies and by seeking help
- Identify the people in their lives who can help them if needed
Kate Pordage, Headstart School Support and Working Together Lead, who has led on the development of the journal, explained:
“MY BRILLIANT place to be ME! is designed to be used in whichever way your child likes. They can start at the beginning and work through to the end, or dip in and out, doing the activity that they find most interesting or helpful at any given time.
“The activities are not in any particular order, but each one has been created to link into at least one of three key wellbeing themes.”
The themes are:
- All about me - Activities designed to help children become aware of their uniqueness, strengths, and interests, to improve self-esteem, explore who they are and their place in their world and support them to develop healthy relationships.
- Name it to tame it - Activities to help children name, understand and manage their feelings, which helps to improve their self-awareness and emotional resilience.
- I’ve got this - Learning about the basics of self-care (sleep, diet, activity) and simple skills and strategies to calm and manage uncomfortable feelings (breathing, grounding, simple distractions, problem solving) can help children become more resilient and confident, and feel able to ask for help when they need it.
For more advice and information on children’s wellbeing, visit the Headstart Kernow website and the Start Now website, which is designed by young people for young people.
Press release issued on February 1, 2024.
