Children and young people's mental health services

Image of telephone operator - need urgent mental health support call 111 select option 2

Information:

Call NHS 111, select option 2 for mental health support, available 24/7 for all ages, including children and young people. Parents and carers can call for support if they're worried about a young person's mental health.

You can also access NHS 111 online at 111.nhs.uk, and anyone can call on your behalf.

Where to get urgent help for mental health - NHS

Childline logo
Information:

Childline is there to help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through. It is free, confidential and available any time, day or night. You can talk to them:

 

Papyrus Logo
Information:

Its helpline service - HOPELINE247 - is available to anybody under the age of 35 experiencing suicidal thoughts, or for anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide. Opening times: 24/7.

Samaritans Logo
Information:

Whatever you're going through, you can contact the Samaritans for support. N.B. This is a listening service and does not offer advice or intervention.

Shout Logo
Information:

Shout is a UK-based mental health charity that provides free, confidential, 24/7 support via text messaging. Their trained volunteers help individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or other mental health challenges by offering a safe space to talk.

Opening times: 24/7

Shout: the UK's free, confidential and 24/7 mental health text service for crisis support | Shout 85258

 
Stop.Breathe.Think Logo
Information:

Stop.Breathe.Think is a mental health charity offering online counselling to those aged 8-21, who cannot afford or access support quickly. No wait times and available nationally, they provide vital support to those who need it.

Text: BREATHE to 85258 to talk to someone. This is available 24/7, so just text whenever you feel like you need to get something off your chest.

Stop.Breathe.Think

The Mix
Information:

The Mix is the UK’s leading support service for young people. They are there to help you take on any challenge you’re facing - from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs.

Talk to them via our online community, on social or our counselling service.

The Mix - Essential support for under 25s

YoungMinds Logo
Information:

YoungMinds UK is a charity dedicated to supporting the mental health of children and young people. They offer resources, tools, and advice for managing mental health challenges, including tips on coping with anxiety, stress, and depression. 

Whether you want to understand how you’re feeling, find ways to feel better, or support someone who's struggling, They're here to help.

YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds

Student Minds Image
Information:

Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity.

We have a clear vision: No student should be held back by their mental health. Student Minds is the UK's student mental health charity, working to ensure no student is held back by their mental health. They empower students to build their own mental health toolkit and support peers through university life. The charity also advocates for the higher education sector, health sector, and government to prioritize student mental health.
Student Minds - Student Minds

Alumina - Free online self-harm support for young people image
Information:

Alumina is a free, online 7-week course designed for young people aged 10-17 struggling with self-harm. The courses, which take place on various evenings, offer a safe space for up to 14 participants to access support from trained counsellors and volunteer youth workers. You can join the sessions privately via a chatbox on your phone, tablet, or laptop, without the need for an adult referral.

Alumina | Selfharm

Image of Bullying UK part of family lives

Information:

 

Bullying UK - We understand how bullying can have a huge impact on your emotional and mental health. When someone is experiencing bullying, they may feel alone and isolated. We have advice on all aspects of bullying including bullying at school with template letters.  Our articles are written by our team of family support workers who have years of experience of all aspects of bullying and provide advice on issues around bullying via our helpline, live chat and email support service. 

Bullying advice and support | Family Lives

Apps to support your mental health and wellbeing

With so many apps to choose from it can be difficult to know which ones to choose and trust, and where to go to find them. Sometimes apps can have hidden costs attached, and there may be others that are not designed with young people in mind. This list has been produced to try and address some of these challenges. All of the apps listed are free to use, do not contain in-app purchases, and are available on both Android and iOS. They all have a privacy policy and have either evidence for the approach used and/or direct evidence to support the apps’ benefits.

These apps have been designed to help users to manage things that they might find difficult when experiencing low mood, anxiety, or stress. They work by teaching skills and strategies to manage these feelings in the moment, and to help reduce their impact in the future. Some of the apps can also direct users to sources of more information, local resources, and who to contact in a crisis.

Calm Harm Logo
Information:

Calm Harm provides techniques to help break the cycle of self-harm. The app has been developed for self-guided use by individuals who experience non suicidal self-injury. If you self-harm with suicidal intent, please talk to a responsible adult and see a health professional urgently.

Intended age range: 13+

Home - Calm Harm App

Move Mood Logo
Information:

Move Mood is designed to help young people manage the things they might find difficult when experiencing low mood. Move Mood supports users to define goals and set activity schedules. The app motivates users by providing a 'companion' to help them accomplish tasks they commit to and earn 'awards' for completing them.

Intended age range: 13+

Home - Move Mood App

Clear Fear Logo
Information:

Clear Fear is an app designed to help individuals manage anxiety by addressing the physical responses, thoughts, and behaviors associated with fear. It uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques to help users reduce extreme or prolonged anxiety, which can lead to anxiety disorders. By facing fears directly, the app helps individuals regain control and reduce the impact of anxiety on their lives.

Recommended for the ages of 11-19 years. 

Home - Clear Fear App