CHILDREN’S NHS Services are providing emotional wellbeing support for young people across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The organisation wants to remind children and their young people, parents and carers of the range of help it provides.
With September being ‘back to school’ season it is an exciting time for many children but adjusting to life after the summer holidays could prove more challenging for some.
Kooth – available at kooth.com – enables young people to access safe, free and anonymous online advice to support their emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Available in both counties, Kooth enables young people to access safe, free and anonymous online advice to support their emotional wellbeing and mental health. Visit www.kooth.com/
In Worcestershire, Reach4Wellbeing’s online group courses help with emotional wellbeing for children and young people aged five to 18 and parents of primary school age children. Reach4Wellbeing is part of children’s mental health services (CAMHS). People can go to hacw.nhs.uk/reach4wellbeing to refer themselves online.
ChatHealth, a secure and confidential texting service that enables young people in Worcestershire to speak directly to a school health nurse, is available to those aged 11 to 19. Text 0750 7331750 for confidential advice on issues like bullying, emotional health, relationship problems, alcohol, and drugs.
In both counties, anyone aged 16+ can contact Healthy Minds for mental health help. The service offers support to people who feel low, anxious, worried, or depressed.
Online therapy for young people to do at your own pace is available, as well as self-referral into group therapy, or more traditional one-to-one support. Go to nowweretalking.nhs.uk/ for more.
BESTIE is an app designed to help young people in Worcestershire access reliable, safe and bespoke emotional wellbeing and mental health support online. Search BESTIE on Apple or Play store or visit camhsbestie.co.uk to access the app.
And anyone needing urgent mental health help can call the 24/7 mental health helpline on 0808 196 9127. The service is open to people of all ages – including children and young people. When calling the number, people can expect to speak to mental health advisors and/or trained mental health clinicians who will be able to listen to their concerns and help make appropriate plans with them for support.
Kerry Beaumont, Clinical Service Manager for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Worcestershire said: “It is completely natural for children and young people to experience a mixture of emotions when going back to school and feelings like worry or anxiety may be heightened this year as we start to reconnect with people and adjust to new routines.”
