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Parents in the Channel Islands are being given free access to online mental health courses, from this week.

The States of Guernsey and Government of Jersey have teamed up with the NHS to provide free online courses on a range on mental health topics.

The courses cover topics for every stage of parenting including communication skills, children with additional needs and understanding behaviour.

Ruth Sharp, Guernsey's head of early years, said: "We don’t get a manual when we become parents or carers and there is so much complex learning and developing happening in those first five years in particular."

'Access for all'

The States of Guernsey said local people could access courses through a free online portal without giving any personal information.

Kirsteen Flint, team manager at Jersey Children’s Family Hub, said the courses were not solely for parents.

She said the advice would be available for everybody and would be "very much about face-to-face community offers".

"You don’t have to be referred to this because it’s all about access for all from wherever you are," she added.

Alex Hawkins-Drew, from Guernsey's Public Health service, said the courses were not intended to replace "the valuable work" provided by other parts of the healthcare system.

She said the scheme was a "great example of partnership" between Guernsey and Jersey.

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