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Does the young person currently experience worry or anxiety and how does this impact on their daily life?
Anxiety isn’t always a negative thing, it is common to be worried, nervous or afraid of things such as exams, spiders, or speaking out in class.
Young people (with or without appropriate or positive adult/peer support) may be able to identify the triggers for their anxiety, know how to manage their anxiety and what supports them.
Does the young person currently experience any difficulties with mood and how does this impact their everyday life?
Young people can experience changes in mood. This could include low mood such as: feelings of sadness, irritability, guilt, loss of interest or pleasure and lack of energy. It may also include elated mood such as overexcitement, increased energy, exaggerated beliefs about themselves and impulsive behaviours.
Young people can have difficulty with eating habits or managing their thoughts and feelings about eating and food.
How does the young person currently cope with their emotions?
Emotions can be unexpected, intense and overwhelming.
Support from others and coping strategies such as: breathing exercises, sensory or physical activity may help the young person notice, identify and express their emotions.
Does the young person’s thinking and memory skills currently impact on their everyday life?
These skills can change and are dependent on other factors in a young person’s life including distress, emotional or mental health concerns and support from others.
Does the young person currently experience a loss of contact with reality and does this cause them distress and/or put them or others at risk?
Young people may have imaginary friends, may hear their own voice in their head, have vivid imaginations and enjoy fantasy as a way of coping, escaping or for enjoyment. As young people develop, they may begin to differentiate reality from fantasy/pretend.
Young people may appear to have some loss of contact with reality due to their thinking style and/or sensory differences. They may focus intently on a topic or an idea (e.g. everything relates to Star Wars), have less flexible thinking (e.g. all TV is real life) or describe sensations that others don’t notice (e.g. smelling food when others don’t notice).
Young people can have different social and communication styles; these can be verbal or non-verbal (e.g. using actions, writing or signs). This can change depending on the environment (e.g. home or social) or who is being communicated with (e.g. friends or family).
Personal identity is how a young person views themselves; this may begin and be set by the relationships shared with their parents or things they find interesting (e.g., I am a male and I have a cat).
This may be further developed and shaped by factors such as society, religion, culture, gender, diagnoses, sexuality and a sense of acceptance.
Does the young person currently have difficulties with participation in activities of daily living and what impact does this have?
Difficulties with participation in routine activities may impact on their self-esteem and they may need support from adults.
Does the young person’s sleep currently impact on their everyday life?
Young people may find it hard to manage and keep a healthy sleep routine (sometimes called ‘sleep hygiene’). This may include trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up multiple times in the night and a reversed sleep pattern (sleeping in the morning and staying up at night).
Has the young person experienced (currently or previously) a traumatic event/s that caused them distress and impacts on their daily life?
Trauma is an emotional response to a situation which makes us feel unsafe.
This may include abuse (verbal/physical/ emotional/sexual), bullying (online/in person), accidents, assault, neglect and abandonment.
Support from others, such as family members, friends, religious/cultural communities, schools and professionals, may help the young person manage this.
Does the young person’s attachment to an activity, object or habit currently have an impact on their everyday life?
Young people can become overly attached to certain habits, activities or objects such as mobile phones, social media, video games, TV shows, drugs (e.g. cannabis), smoking and vapes.
Does the young person currently have active hobbies and interests, are they able to access them and does this put them or others at risk?
Hobbies and Interests can be a source of enjoyment and accomplishment and may help the young person build confidence, manage their emotions and engage with their peers.
Hobbies and interests are varied and can be common, popular, specific (e.g. gardening, Lego, sports) or less common (e.g. watching the washing machine cycles).
Young people can have difficulties with their physical health, wellbeing, and fitness that can affect their everyday life, mental health, independence, and self-esteem.
The young person may need reasonable adjustments and support to help manage their physical health or keep fit.
How does the young person currently experience and manage their sexual behaviours?
Sexual development and exploration is a healthy part of growing up and changes with age and developmental stages.
Does the young person currently access and engage in education, training and/or work?
Education and training can include learning that can be in the classroom or hands on (e.g. woodwork and carpentry) and can be provided in different ways (e.g. online, home learning, in person and forest schools).
Learning can also be in the form of work experience which may be paid, voluntary and/or apprenticeships.
Has the young person (currently/previously) experienced, intended or acted on any self-injury, self-harm or suicidal thoughts, or posed a risk to others?
Young people may deliberately (self-harm) or unintentionally (self-injury) do things that put themselves at risk. This risk to themselves may be due to them struggling to communicate their needs, feelings of frustration, lack of an awareness of danger, impulsivity and/or in response to being overwhelmed.
In some cases, young people may experience suicidal thoughts (e.g. thoughts of dying, ‘giving up’ or ‘things would be better if I wasn’t here’), actions, and intentions (e.g. researching online for ways to harm themselves).
There are many types of loss. This may include loss of: people, friendship, relationships, health, a pet, identity (relating to who you once were, self-esteem and self-confidence) and interest in the things you once enjoyed.
Loss is personal, some loss may be considered small (e.g. taking away a comfort blanket) or large (e.g. loss of a loved one) but the impact of this on the young person may be experienced as significant for either.
Does the young person currently experience motor skills and/or coordination difficulties and how does this impact on their daily life?
Fine motor skills are needed for activities such as handwriting, opening, or closing buttons and turning doorknobs.
Positive, meaningful relationships with family members, carers, friends and/or partners is important in reducing loneliness and providing a sense of connection and belonging.
How does the financial and housing/ accommodation situation affect the child or young person’s current physical and mental wellbeing?
The financial situation at home can affect both parent/carers and children and young people.
Poor housing may include: homelessness, shared or overcrowded accommodation, unsafe or antisocial neighbourhoods, damp or mould problems and heating, electrical or plumbing issues.
Are the young person’s environments currently supportive and do they meet their needs?
A supportive environment includes a social environment that is inclusive, the people around (e.g. family members or friends) have a good understanding of a young person’s needs and can support. It is a space where a young person feels they can ask for help and are able to accept support from others when needed (e.g. when being bullied in a social setting).
A supportive physical environment (e.g. home or school) is one that is accessible to their needs. For example, the school providing step-free access for wheelchair users or maintaining noise levels in class to address the young person’s sensory needs.
How does change currently impact a young person’s everyday life and do they have the support they need?
Change also referred to as transitions is a part of our everyday life, big or small, including moving from primary to secondary school, change in classrooms and/or staff, moving from childhood to adulthood or moving house amongst others.
During this period, support from education settings and parent/carers can help support the young person better prepare for and manage this change or the transition.
A young person’s experience of change may impact their everyday life and in turn the support that they need.
How do the young person’s sensory preferences currently impact on their everyday life?