If you are worried about a child or need advice and support for coping with anything affecting your child's emotional or mental health, there are different ways to seek help.
If your child is struggling, your GP will be able to offer help and advice.
If your child doesn’t want to talk to you or the GP, suggest it might be helpful to talk things through with people they trust such as a friend, teacher or school nurse.
If you are concerned about a child or young person, you can refer them or get advice by contacting Single Point of Access (SPA): Phone 0800 6444 101
Email:
Out of hours, call the mental health helpline on 0800 6444 101 between 5pm and 8am.
Is it an emergency?
If this is a life-threatening crisis, get the young person to the nearest A&E – once admitted, the local CAMHS crisis service will be contacted and come out and make an assessment and take things from there.
Here are some other useful websites:
- Just Talk Parent/Carer Leaflet
- YoungMinds is a national charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of young people
- NHS Choices has information about mental health for young people, parents and carers
- Kooth.com offers free, confidential online counselling support for children and young people in Hertfordshire aged 10-25
- My CAMHS Choices has information and short films on mental health services
- Childline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- BEAT eating disorders charity offers a helpline for young people and adults
- MindEd for Families resources and hints and tips on child and adolescent emotional and mental health
