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Mental Health for Children and Young People
How To Help Your Mental Health In A Crisis Situation
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, you can contact
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm: 03300 245321
- Out of hours: 0300 555 5000
Other help options
- Papyrus - Prevention of young suicide
- Mental Health Text Support: 24/7 text line for crisis support
- Samaritans: 24/7 call line for crisis support
It is important to get help as people who self-harm are at a higher risk of suicide. Getting support as soon as possible can help prevent suicidal thoughts occurring.
Let's Talk Mental Health
Helping children and young people deal with the mental and emotional challenges they encounter growing up.
Mental health includes your psychological and emotional wellbeing. Lots of young people can struggle with their emotions and how to handle their feelings. It is important to understand that your mental health and wellbeing is just as important as your physical health and wellbeing.
This section is all about the services available to children, young people and their parents / guardians. Growing up in modern times can bring some really difficult situations. We are here to help support our young people through this time in their life; developing coping strategies for now, but also skills for the future.
What does it look feel like?
People who are struggling with low mood or anxiety can experience some of the following symptoms:
- Feeling hopeless
- Feeling sad and/or tearful
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy such as hobbies
- Low self-esteem
- Less energy
- Difficulty sleeping
Sometimes, these feelings can be intense and affect you physically such as feeling your heart racing, feeling faint, sweating or tingling in your fingers or lips.
If these thoughts are getting in the way of everyday life, then getting support to make positive steps forward is a good idea.
Some people experiencing this have thoughts about harming themselves. It is important to understand what self harm is, and to break the stigma around feeling ashamed about self harm.
Why?
Sometimes this happens because of stressful events such as exams, bullying or the death of someone close to them and sometimes there is no clear cause.
If you are experiencing any of the following, please contact the surgery on 01395 232509 and ask to speak to a doctor during surgery hours
- Harming yourself
- Thinking about harming yourself
- Worried about your injuries – you can be at risk of infections from small cuts and burns
The doctor will listen to what you have been going through and will talk to you about advice and treatment options to move forwards.
It is important to get help as people who self-harm are at a higher risk of suicide. Getting support as soon as possible can help prevent suicidal thoughts occurring.
Helpful resources
Here are some useful resources to look at
- Young Minds: Support and resources for mental health conditions. They can help you to understand how you're feeling and help you to find ways to make yourself feel better.
- The Mix: Lots of guides and tips to help you with any mental health struggles.
- Talking Therapies: Find out about talking therapies, and whether they could work for you.
- Every Mind Matters: Looking after your mental health providing a page full of self-care tips.
Apps
A collection of apps available from CAMHS Resources
Young Devon
Young Devon offers advice and support about the following:
- work and study;
- health and well-being;
- leaving care support;
- housing and welfare rights;
- sex and relationships;
- alcohol and drugs;
- travel;
- and much more.
Kooth - XenZone
XenZone is a provider of online mental health services for children, young people and adults.
Kooth, from XenZone, is an online counselling and emotional well-being platform for children and young people, accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop and free at the point of use.
Haven - Open Door – Exmouth 01395 224218
Open Door Exmouth is a local charity that has been at the heart of the Exmouth community since 1995. Their Youth Services exist to ensure that every young person in Exmouth has access to safe and welcoming space to go during and after school each day. Projects include Haven, based at Exmouth Community College and Toast Youth cafe, delivered twice/ week from Open Door Community Hub.
What is Haven? Haven is an emotional wellbeing project providing mentoring and a lunchtime safe space for students in Years 7-9 at Exmouth Community College.
When is Toast Youth Cafe open? Toast runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays during term-time from 3:30-5.30pm for any secondary age young person.
What happens at Toast? The Youth Cafe provides a safe and friendly space for young people to hang out, do homework, enjoy free drinks, toast and toppings, play games including PS4, and engage in craft activities. Support is also available from the youth team.
For more details contact the Youth Services Lead at youth@opendoorexmouth.org.uk or call 07918 899203
Parent Support Haven offers a monthly informative and relaxed parent session to inform and empower parents to feel better equipped to support their child with their emotional well-being.
Children and Family Health Devon
A single point of access to get help with:
- Specialist School Nurses
- Autism Spectrum Assessment Service
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Children in Care Service
- Community Children’s Nursing Service
- Devon’s Family Information Service for Children with Additional Needs (SIGNPOSTplus)
- Learning Disability Team
- Occupational Therapy
- Palliative Care
- Public Health Nursing
- Rehabilitation Officers for Visually Impaired Children (ROVIC)
- Social Services – Children with Additional Needs
- Specialist Children’s Assessment Centres (SCAC)
- Speech and Language Therapy
CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
No need to wait for a referral, click on the link below to self -refer for specialist assessment and treatment for mental health problems.
CAMHS – Conditions assessed / treated include:
- ADHD with associated mental health difficulty
- Anxiety
- Attachment disorders
- Autistic spectrum disorder with associated mental health difficulty
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Enduring emotional and behavioural problems
- Mental health problems associated with learning disability
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Prolonged adjustment disorders (i.e. post-traumatic stress disorder or abnormal grief reaction)
- Psychosis
- Self-harm
- Suicidal ideation
- Tourette’s and complex tic disorder
Autistic Spectrum Assessment
For those parents / guardians who are concerned that their child might be on the autistic spectrum and would like to requests an assessment.
Headspace
Learn to meditate and live mindfully
- Hundreds of themed sessions on everything from stress and sleep to focus and anxiety
- Bite-sized guided meditations for busy schedules
- SOS exercises in case of sudden meltdowns
Frank
Helpful information about drugs and drug misuse.