Updated: 14/12/2023
Advice and ideas for supporting children and young people's mental health
- Mind Ed for Families is a useful resource for parents and professionals. They've got information on topics such as sleep, anxiety, eating disorders, self-harm, and family and relationship issues.
- Young Minds is a trusted charity providing advice and information about a number of mental health issues.
- The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families website is designed to empower young adults to look after their mental health. It has a jargon buster, and tips for self-care.
- MIND has information and support for children and young people including information on your feelings and opening up.
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OnePlusOne is a relationship-based research and evidence charity that produces accessible online support tools for parents including free online relationship support for parents.
Getting support for children and young people's mental health
There are mental health services based in Derby and Derbyshire that are there to offer you support:
- Relate Derby has been commissioned by NHS England to provide counselling services free to residents of Derby and Derbyshire. Contact 01332 349177 or email info@relatederby.org.uk. The services available are:
- IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) counselling for couples and young people (16 to 18 years).
- Support for children and young people’s (5 to 18 years) emotional health and wellbeing.
- Counselling for people affected by Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).
- Kooth offers free online counselling to support mental health and wellbeing, without the need for a referral, for children and young people in Derby and Derbyshire, aged 11 to 18 years, and up to 25 years for children in care. It provides access to text-based counselling support from midday until 10pm on weekdays and 6pm until 10pm on weekends, and 24/7 access to online forums where concerns and relevant articles can be shared and discussed.
There are also national helplines you can contact for support:
Derby County Community Trust also runs wellbeing programmes for young people:
Tackle It is for young males aged 12-17 and aims to give participants a ‘safe space’ to chat, socialise and take part in fun activities.
- Mondays, 6.00-7.30pm at Normanton Park Community Centre, DE23 8DA,
- Tuesdays, 6.00-7.30pm at Derwent Family Youth and Community Centre, DE21 6BD
GREAT Hubs aims to support young females aged 11-16 and focuses on wellbeing for mind and body through lots of fun activities.
- Tuesdays, 4:45 – 6:00pm at Derwent Youth Centre
Getting help in a crisis for children and young people's mental health
- If you feel like a person's life is at risk, or if they have seriously harmed themself, call 999 immediately as this is an emergency. If they need medical help but you can keep them safe for a while, call ‘NHS 111’ by dialing 111.
- The Derbyshire Mental Health Helpline and Support Service is a freephone service available to everyone living in Derbyshire - both young people and adults. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you or your loved one are experiencing distress or anxiety, or feeling that you cannot cope, call 0800 028 0077 for support over the phone. That support could be about your mental health but you can also talk through practical issues that may be causing concern.
- Samaritans provides non-judgmental emotional support for those experiencing feelings of distress, despair or suicidal thoughts. Tel: 116 123 free helpline (24 hours), or email jo@samaritans.org.
- Papyrus provide confidential support and advice to young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person at risk of suicide.
- The Children’s Mental Health Services for Derby and Southern Derbyshire supports children, young people and their families, in Derby city. The website has information about what to do if you feel your child needs urgent help.
