An online tutoring platform has launched a digital Mindfulness Tuition service, teaching parents and students how to cope with stress and anxiety through a range of techniques – including CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) and breathing exercises.
With a forecasting tool recently revealing that 1.5 million UK children need mental health support following the pandemic, the launch of the service could not be more timely. On top of this, the platform surveyed 2,000 UK parents, more than half (54%) of whom say they feel their child has struggled with mental health issues this year.
Additionally, the forecasting survey – developed by the Centre for Mental Health in partnership with NHS England and NHS trusts – showed that more than two-thirds (67%) of parents with children aged 10–16 years had noticed a negative impact on their child’s behaviour during lockdown, while almost half (48%) said their children were communicating with them less.
On top of this, 43% of parents cited ‘general low moods’ as their main concern, while one in ten (11%) felt that their children had been showing signs of depression.
The new service, created by TutorHouse, will allow users to search for trained mental health specialists quickly and efficiently, allowing them to sign up for one-to-one mindfulness sessions either in-person or online. The cost of the programme is dependent on the tutor, but TutorHouse anticipates that an hour long session will cost £25–£35.
Trained mental health experts will encourage students to discuss the last 12 months and talk about how various events made them feel, also covering various mindfulness exercises such as CBT therapy, breathing techniques and how to keep a mindfulness journal, with the tutor helping the student select the coping strategies that suit them best.
Both parents and students are also able to book a standard tutoring session in a subject like maths or English. While the tutor is still trained in mindfulness, the focus on a separate subject throughout the session gives the student the chance to discuss their mental wellbeing in a less pressurised setting. Tutors with this qualification will have it listed on their profile.
“With their daily routines massively upturned, a new normal that is very far from normal and plenty of uncertainty still waiting along the way, 2020 has been a tough year for children, especially for those who have transitioned to different schools and key stages,” commented Alex Dyer, founder of TutorHouse.
“This will have already taken a massive toll on the wellbeing for a lot of young people throughout the UK and with mental health services already under strain, we are hoping to help young people out by giving students an opportunity to talk about their mental health in a low-pressure environment from their own home.”
To enquire about the mindfulness service, click here.
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