Staying Safe – Need to Talk

The following websites are useful for anyone interested in finding out more on staying safe or to access help:

Childline: www.childline.org.uk  Free phone number: 0800 1111 National organisation offering online support and telephone support to young people in distress. Top Tip: If you do not get along with the person you speak to over the phone, hang up and re-dial- they don’t mind.

Samaritans: www.samaritans.org.uk call free any time, from any phone on 116 123. The Samaritans is a national organisation which offers 24 hour telephone and face to face emotional support to people in distress. Their website offers useful information about a range of mental health issues.

Young Minds: www.youngminds.org.uk Young Minds promotes good mental health for young people. The website has a wealth of information about different mental health issues which affect young people, including a range of information and leaflets which can be downloaded.

Depression: Ups and downs are a normal part of life for all of us, but for someone who is suffering from depression these ups and downs may be more extreme. Feelings of failure, hopelessness, numbness or sadness may invade their day-to-day life over an extended period of weeks or months, and have a significant impact on their behaviour and ability and motivation to engage in day-to-day activities. www.depressionalliance.org/information/what-depression

Self harm: Self-harm describes any behaviour where a young person causes harm to themselves in order to cope with thoughts, feelings or experiences they are not able to manage in any other way. It most frequently takes the form of cutting, burning or non-lethal overdoses in adolescents, while younger children and young people with special needs are more likely to pick or scratch at wounds, pull out their hair or bang or bruise themselves.

Self Injury: www.selfinjury.org.uk Online user led organisation to raise awareness of self injury and to support young people who self injure (site recommended by Royal College of Psychiatry).

A self harm network: www.nshn.co.uk A self harm network offering online support and information for people who self harm (site recommended by Royal College of Psychiatry).

Drugs and Alcohol: Talk to frank: www.talktofrank.com National drugs helpline for advice, information and support about drugs, 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.

Drug and Alcohol Help Guide: https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk/article/44/student-addiction-treatment-guide Guide for Students and someone to chat to online.

Royal College of Psychiatrists: www.rcpsych.ac.uk Royal College of Psychiatrists website has information pages to view online and 36 fact sheets available, covering issues around growing up, parental mental illness and mental health difficulties within adolescence. This includes Mind Ed, which is a free e-learning resource to help adults to identify and understand children and young people with mental health issues.

Bullying: Kid Scape: www.kidscape.org.uk Helpline for parents who are worried about their children being bullied.

If you require additional support or information, please contact the school and we will be happy to help.