Family mental health support
Join our family and we’ll be here for yours.
Talk to us about your child’s emotional wellbeing.
As a parent or carer of a young person, you’re closer to them than most. So, if you pick up on a worrying change in their mood or behaviour, trust your instinct and talk to us.
Call Family Mental HealthLine on 0345 2667 938^ and speak to a trained adviser and mental health nurse.
Telephone support between 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday^
Available to all parents with health insurance
A team of trained advisers and mental health nurses are on hand
No need for your child to be covered
Postpartum mental health
New parents during the COVID pandemic may have had less support than they would have had in normal times, contributing to poor mental health. So after the birth of your child, you might experience recognised conditions such as postpartum anxiety, depression, OCD, or even psychosis or PTSD.
In collaboration with ITN Productions Industry News and Mental Health UK, we created this video about the effects of the pandemic on family mental wellbeing. Bupa’s research found that during the pandemic, three in four 13 to 19 year olds have experienced physical health issues including hair loss, digestive problems, migraines, lethargy or weight changes.
As a result, almost half of all parents have needed more guidance on how to talk to their teenagers about mental wellbeing. So our Family Mental HealthLine offers expert advice – and support for parents, too.
Have you noticed a change in this since we've been in lockdown and through lockdown?
Has it got worse?
The disruption caused by the COVID pandemic has brought an increase in the volume and complexity of calls from Bupa members to its Family Mental Healthline.
The pandemic's had a significant impact on people's mental health, and that includes children and young people.
What we've seen particularly is the effect that the disruption's had on their routine and education and how they socialise, so in effect, what's happened is the key experiences that shape who they are as they grow up have been disrupted.
And research commissioned by Bupa in the autumn of 2020 found three in four 13 to 19-year-olds had experienced physical health issues related to poor mental health.
Half had turned to harmful coping mechanisms, including drink, drugs or self-harm, to alleviate symptoms, and 45% of parents said they needed more guidance on how to talk to their teens about mental health.
Lockdown has allowed parents to see first hand some of the behaviours and obsessional traits that could've remained hidden, and which, prior to the pandemic, they'd been unable to see.
The Family Mental Healthline is a dedicated line that's separate to any other lines coming into Bupa that parents can call in on, that will come directly into the mental health team.
As a parent myself, if your child or your young person is struggling, you can have a tendency to think, Oh, it's their teenage years, oh, it's their moving schools.
You always try and put some reason and rationale behind what's happening to your child.
You wouldn't naturally think, Oh, it's their mental health wellbeing.
So it's specialist conversations that will be taking place to explore what's going on for that young person, and what advice and guidance is needed.
And in the case of one mum who called when her teenager started to struggle, support was available for both parent and child.
Prior to lockdown the young person was very much engaged in activities of sport inside and outside of school.
When lockdown had hit, that structure and routine had kind of gone out the window.
They were struggling to manage.
Mum being at home a lot more with the lockdown, she was able to identify that there was over-exercising, there was restriction of food, there was weight loss and irritability, and we discussed what had been going on.
I was able to give her some tips and techniques of how to manage, and this support was consistent over a couple of weeks until the young person actually wanted to engage.
Mum called back in, and we was able to formulate a treatment plan.
And what's important here is that we also are here to support you.
Often, the parent will ring in, they'll talk at length about their child and what's happening, and resolution can be brought to that in terms of identifying what's needed, and then the question that's always asked is, how are you?
And I think that's the significant moment where most parents will break down, and it's like a volcano erupting in terms of emotional state, emotional wellbeing, and it brings that opportunity for that parent to say how they've been affected.
At Bupa we understand that mealtimes can sometimes be a stressful experience.
[Nick] With online content as well to support both children and their families to better understand mental health, the focus is very much on early intervention.
The earlier that someone does receive that help and assistance, the better the outcome is likely to be.
So therefore, if you are worried about somebody or, you know, they're not being themselves, then do start up that conversation and ask them how they are because if they do need to access help, then it is better that that's done sooner rather than later.
Bupa is continuing to expand and up-skill its mental health team, giving children, young people and their families the advice, guidance and support they need every step of the way.
Our Family Mental HealthLine is here to support your family
Discover how we're supporting our members when they need it the most.
Family Mental HealthLine - Helping Parents
Our Mental health nurses offer advice, guidance and support to parents who are worried about the emotional wellbeing of a child. Find out more about how our service can help our members everyday.
Family Mental HealthLine – Our Service
The Family Mental HealthLine was launched to give our members somewhere to turn for advice, guidance and support when they’re worried about the emotional wellbeing of a child.
Learn more about children’s mental health
Our blog posts cover a number of key health topics that may affect your children – such as dealing with low self-esteem, stress and loneliness.
Your teen’s health
Your child’s teenage years can be challenging. From body changes and mental health worries, to preparing for university. We’re here to help you support them through life’s ups and downs.
Helping your child with anger outbursts
It can be very distressing if your child is showing signs of anger. While anger is a normal and useful human emotion, there are times when it might be a problem.
Social media and your child
Here we’ll give you tips on how to support your child in building a healthy relationship with social media.
Loneliness and isolation in teenagers (A parent’s guide)
The teenage years are a tricky time – full of ups and downs. There’s a lot going on for young people to navigate.
Understanding changes in a child or teenagers behaviour
It's often the way a child or teenager behaves, rather than what they say, that suggests they could be going through a tough time emotionally.
Helping your child handle stress
Thousands of young people across the UK received their A-level and GCSE results in the summer.
Worried about your child’s gaming habit?
As a population, we spend an enormous amount of time ‘online’. It seems that we have access to almost anything at our fingertips, and accessible through a range of different devices.
Supporting your child’s return to school
Now that children are back to school, you may be wondering how you can help them adjust after being away for a while.
Growing concerns about eating disorders in children
Our research tells us that the pandemic has led to more people seeking support with eating disorders in children. We offer information, advice, and warning signs to look for.
Download and listen to some of our mental health podcasts
The Parent Chat podcast aims to highlight the importance of parents talking about their worries and supporting each other for their own personal wellbeing. To listen, click the name of the podcast below.
Episode 1 – Stresses of the modern parent
Episode 3 – Raising healthy, active children
Are you interested in health insurance?
If you’re an individual or employer looking for more information on mental health cover as part of a health insurance policy please click the relevant button below.
Individuals
(for me/ my family)
Small business
(less than 250 employees)
Corporate
(more than 250 employees)
^Telephone support between 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday via a dedicated helpline.
^Calls may be recorded and to maintain the quality of our service we may monitor some of our calls, always respecting the confidentiality of the call.
Family Mental HealthLine is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority or The Prudential Regulation Authority.
Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Bupa Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
