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Happy 2024! 

This round up is all about our brand new podcast series of Raising Teens which is currently being broadcast on BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey every Friday at 7pm – with a handy catch up on BBC Sounds. We’re super proud of this series which brings together amazing interviews with young people by our young reporter Lola Ray, brilliant expert guests and really important subjects in teen mental health. 

Each episode brings you first-hand accounts from young people, and a panel of experts in the studio talking with new Raising Teens host Clare Cowan. They discuss the issues and how best to provide help and support. Each episode is full of fascinating conversation and great practical tips and advice. The series is supported by NHS Sussex. 
 
Here’s a round up of the episodes so far, so you can dive straight into what interests you most. Each summary includes a link to listen as well as to sources of support and advice. We’d love to hear what you think of the series – you can leave a comment on our social media accounts or simply reply to this email. 
 
Episode 1: Getting mental health support

This episode explores how parents & carers can navigate the system to find the right services and resources for their child. We know that many teenagers are struggling to access mental health support with average waiting lists rising in the last two years and over half of those on a waiting list reporting that their mental health had deteriorated (Young Minds). The pandemic and cost of living crisis have had an impact on what was already a growing crisis. We also talk to young people with neurodivergent conditions like ADHD and autism who’ve faced long waits to get a diagnosis, let alone help. 

🎧 Listen to Raising Teens: Getting mental health support on BBC Sounds 
👋 More information and links to support about getting mental health support

Episode 2: Supporting Adolescent trauma
 
When a child experiences trauma in their early years it can result in behaviours which can cause distress – to the child, their families and communities. They can include self-harm, risk-taking and being vulnerable to criminal exploitation. This episode explores how we can intervene early to help prevent family breakdowns and escalation, and how parents, the wider family, and friends can provide support. 
 
🎧 Listen on BBC Sounds – Raising Teens: Supporting adolescent trauma
👋 More information and links to support for adolescent trauma
 
Episode 3: Treating eating disorders
 
In this episode, we explore eating disorders and how parents and carers can understand what’s happening to their teens and find the right support. We look at what‘s behind the sharp rise in the number of young people receiving treatment for eating disorders – a rise of almost two-thirds since before the pandemic. We talk about how services can keep up with the need for treatment and what we should we be doing as a society to help our young people who may be struggling.

🎧 Listen to Raising Teens: Treating eating disorders on BBC Sounds 
👋 More information and links to support for treating eating disorders
 
Episode 4: Becoming an adult
 
The journey from teen to adult can be complex and hard to navigate without support and guidance. The teenage brain, changes in hormones, and upheavals in a young person’s personal life can be overwhelming, confusing and challenging. Almost half of teens have lowered expectations for their future because of the rising cost of living, according to the latest Prince’s Trust Youth Index. In this episode, we look into how we can support young people to make positive decisions about their future and best prepare to navigate the challenges of life.

🎧 Listen to Raising Teens: Becoming an adult on BBC Sounds 
👋 More information and links to support for young people around becoming an adult
 
🎙️ Still to come on Raising Teens! 
We have episodes on Neurodiversity – this Friday! – and Support in schools. We’ll cover those in next month’s newsletter. 

🎧 Plus you can catch up with previous series of Raising Teens – covering everything from social media and loneliness to county lines and the teenage brain… 
 
👋 Do share this blog with anyone you think might find it useful. Thanks! 
 
We hope you enjoy Make (Good) News. If you have any suggestions or news you think we should cover next month, send us a line! 


The Make (Good) Trouble team x

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It’s estimated that 15-20% of children and young people in the UK are neurodivergent (National Statistics, 2023). That means they have differences in how their brain functions to what is considered ‘typical’. Neurodivergent conditions include ADHD and Autism. This episode of Raising Teens looks at the experiences of neurodivergent young people and how families can support their children so they can develop and thrive. We also look at what role getting a diagnosis plays in that. 

Whilst neurodiversity isn’t a mental health condition, many children and young people experience challenges with their mental health. They face social pressures to behave ‘appropriately’ – or like their neurotypical peers – at school, in friendship groups, and communities. Coping strategies can take a huge toll on their emotional wellbeing. 

🎧 Listen to Raising Teens: Neurodiversity BBC Sounds.

Our expert guests for episode 5 are:

  • Hamish Gale – Senior Manager of Specialist Teaching Services ESCC
  • Dr Tracey Atkins – Specialist Educational Psychologist for East Sussex County Council.
  • Sav Kanagasundaram – NDP Family Training & Navigation Service Manager at Amaze Sussex.

If you’re wondering how parents can support their teens, and how we can make sure that support is accessible to every young person that needs it, tune in to BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey, and BBC Sounds on Fridays at 7pm or catch up any time on BBC Sounds.

👉 Find out more about Raising Teens and listen to past episodes: Raising Teens.

👏 Raising Teens series 5 is supported by NHS Sussex.

Help and support:

Young Minds – information about autism and mental health, and ADHD and mental health – including advice on looking after your mental health, supporting a friend and stories from other young people with autism and Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Amaze Sussex – SEN and disability support and services in Sussex. Amaze works with families that include a child or young person with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) across Sussex. They work with parent carers and with children and young people with SEND.

Ambitious About Autism – an online platform for autistic young people aged 16-25 with plenty of great information and support – including advice on support in school, work experience opportunities, education, training and personal stories.

National Autistic Society – the UK’s leading charity for people on the autism spectrum and their families. Includes an online forum where you can discuss your issues and queries. 

The Autism Education Trust has some great Resources for young people.

ADHD Foundation: Worth a look at their tips to help your teen with ADHD

NHS information about treatment for Attention Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

The Sunflower scheme supports people living with non-visible disabilities in their communities. The sunflower is an international symbol of hidden disability which you can use, for example, when travelling. If an official sees someone wearing the sunflower lanyard, they will know that they might need to differentiate their approach or communications with someone.

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2024 kicks off with a brand-new series of Raising Teens on BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey, every Friday at 7pm from January 5, or you can catch up any time on BBC Sounds. 

This fifth series covers access to mental health services, supporting adolescent trauma, eating disorders, neurodiversity, and support in schools.

We know that many teenagers are struggling to access mental health services. In England, average waiting lists have risen by two-thirds in the last two years (The Guardian). Over half of those on a waiting list said that their mental health had deteriorated while they waited for support (Young Minds). The pandemic and cost of living crisis have both had an impact on what was already a growing crisis affecting young people. 

Many young people with neurodivergent conditions like ADHD and autism, also have long waits to get a diagnosis, let alone help. 

🎧 Listen to Episode 1: Getting Mental Health Support on BBC Sounds.

In this episode new series host, Clare Cowan, discusses how parents & carers can navigate the system to find the right services and resources for their child. Make (Good) Trouble’s Lola Ray has also talked to young people about the kinds of support they need and what they’ve done to find support. 

Our guests for episode 1 are:

  • Lisa Witherden from YMCA DownsLink Group, Head of wellbeing and therapeutic services
  • Mark Cox, Accident & Emergency Junior Doctor and founder at Lumi
  • Kai Willbridge, Practice Manager at BHCC for the Whitehawk Family Hub

If you’re wondering how parents can support their teens, and how we can make sure that support is accessible to every young person that needs it, tune in to BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey, and BBC Sounds on Fridays at 7pm.

👋 Find out more about Raising Teens and listen to past episodes: Raising Teens.
👏 Raising Teens series 5 is supported by NHS Sussex.

Help and support: Access to services

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We’ve spent the last few weeks listening to teens and it’s been an eye-opening, sometimes shocking, sometimes heart-warming experience. They’ve spoken to us about anger, home life, alcohol, self-harm, eating disorders, grief… their experiences in part shape who they are, as do the reactions and support of those around them.

Raising Teens, our radio show for BBC Sussex and BBC Surrey, starts back tonight and is on every Monday at 8pm up until Christmas. This series we’ve invited more experts and parents to join host Guy Lloyd to talk about how we can support teenagers, parents and everyone who works with, lives with, cares for and interacts with young people.

And whilst we’re dealing with difficult subjects in this series, the feeling we’re left with after listening to the teens, who’ve given up their time to share their stories, is one of hope. It is also one of immense gratitude. These young people really want to help their peers. They want to give them an insight into how to deal with difficult emotions, how to be more resilient and how to support each other.

Do join us Monday nights at 8pm from now ’til Christmas on BBC Sussex, BBC Surrey and online.

Catch up on series one here.

Raising Teens radio show