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Healthy families

eating healthy

Eatwell Guide

The Eatwell Guide was created by the government to help summarise what makes up a healthy balanced diet for children and adults. The Guide does not apply to children under the age of 2 because they have different nutritional needs. Between the ages of 2 and 5, children should gradually move to eat the same foods as the rest of the family in the proportions shown in the Eatwell Guide.

Eatwell Guide
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Fit and Active Barnet (FAB)

Visit the Fit & Active Barnet Hub for everything you need to help you lead a more active and healthier lifestyle.

Visit Fit and Active Barnet
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Active Travel

This can be walking or cycling to the shops, and you can also try taking the stairs instead of the escalator or lift. Also, try walking, cycling or scooting to school? Not only will it help you to be more physically active, but it will also help to reduce air pollution due to fewer cars on the road and support anti-idling. Anti-idling is about encouraging people to turn off their car engines when their vehicle is stationary, and it is safe to do.

Find out more about sustainable active travel in Barnet
Go bean: have you had your beans this week? Family sharing dinner. Super bean character wearing cape.

Eat well - Go Bean!

We're championing the humble bean in Barnet to improve our health, lighten the load on our pockets and reduce our carbon footprints. Check out the facts, tasty recipes, and more about beans.

Go bean
playground

Parks and Open Spaces

You and your family can visit one of our many parks and open spaces. These include Walking, running and cycling trails.

Parks and Open Spaces
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Mental health and wellbeing tips

Looking after your mental health is something we should invest in, like our physical health. Building your mental health can help us to build resilience to manage difficult times in the future.

NHS top tips to improve your mental wellbeing
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Hopeline (Papyrus)

If you are having thoughts of suicide or are concerned for a young person who might be you can contact HOPELINE247 for confidential support and practical advice. Call: 0800 068 4141 | Text: 88247 | Email: pat@papyrus.uk.org

Papyrus Hopeline247
simply veg image

Simply Veg

The 'Simply Veg' national campaign by Veg Power is an initiative aimed at encouraging families to adopt healthier eating habits, focusing on increasing vegetable consumption. This not-for-profit organization has developed a unique approach, combining expert advice from nutritionists, chefs, and psychologists to provide practical guidance for parents and carers.

Free Support for Parents:
- Online resources, recipes, and tips to encourage family vegetable uptake.
- Expert Advice: Access to top nutritionists, chefs, and child psychologists for guidance on creating a positive food environment.
- eLearning Platform: A free online platform, Simply Veg Learning, offering video tutorials and simple steps to help families improve their veg-eating habits.
- Launch into Veg Program: A specific program designed for parents whose children eat little or no vegetables, aiming to introduce at least one or two vegetables into their diet.

Simply Veg
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The Waiting Room

The NCL Waiting Room is a website that provides information and resources for young people, parents, carers and professionals who are looking for wellbeing support in North Central London (NCL).

The North Central London Integrated Care System (NCL ICS) covers five London boroughs: Camden, Islington, Barnet, Enfield, and Haringey.

Wellbeing support in North Central London
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What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the opposite of automatic pilot mode. It is about experiencing the world that is firmly in the ‘here and now’ and directing our attention to our experience as it unfolds. This mode is referred to as the being mode. It offers a way of freeing oneself from automatic and unhelpful ways of thinking and responding such as worrying about what has happened or might happen - training us to explore and respond skillfully to whatever is happening right now.

You are able to read more about mindfulness and meditation on the following websites:

As a young person you can access mental health support on Barnet Council’s website. 

young person on a phone

Digital Resilience

It is an increasingly more digital world, where Children and Young People (CYP) are using digital technologies earlier. Digital resilience is the ability for CYP to develop a critical mindset when accessing information online, to reduce their vulnerability and potential for harm. It is about being able to navigate, deal positively and be able to safeguard themselves from harmful information often found on social media platforms and the internet.

Barnet council have developed resources for children and young people, teachers, parents, and children with SEND to initiate conversations, provide resources and education around this topic. 

Please see our page on Digital Resilience here.

 

Logo - pink writing in capital letters on white background: TALK ABOUT IT

Barnet's mental health and wellbeing strategy for children and young people

To mark World Mental Health Day, Barnet Council has launched a new mental health and wellbeing strategy designed to promote the mental wellbeing of children and young people. The strategy was created following consultation and engagement with residents, youth and parent groups and using insights from national and local data.

Visit also Barnet's Children and Young People's Mental Health Charter, co-produced with over 200 young people.