HomeInformation for parents and carersNational Helplines and Websites
National Helplines and Websites
Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Children, young people and families are at the heart of everything the Anna Freud Centre does, and they are committed to involving young people and parents in all aspects of our work. The Centre provides a range of meaningful and rewarding volunteering opportunities for parents and carers to participate in through their Parent Champion programme.
Action for Children – Build Sound Minds Campaign
Build Sound Minds is a campaign for improving young people’s emotional wellbeing. They offer advice on how to support your child and share resources and guidance on how to look after yourself as a parent.
This parent’s guide to depression contains useful information about how to talk to children and young people who may be experiencing depression.
Mental Health Problems in Children and Young People: Guidance for Parents and Carers
This leaflet offers guidance on how best to support your child and where to find further advice and help with their mental health.
MindEd is a free learning resource about the mental health of children, young people and older adults.
These resources can help parents and carers to support the emotional wellbeing and mental health of their children and young people.
Social Media and Teenagers : A Practical Approach
Is social media damaging the mental health of young people? The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust has produced this leaflet looking behind the headlines.
Once a month, experts from Young Minds Parents Helpline answer questions on a chosen topic live on Facebook. Joined by mental health professionals or experts in the field, they share their top tips, advice and next steps you can take.
Self-Harm
Coping with self-harm: A Guide for Parents and Carers
This guide provides information for parents and families about self-harm and its causes and effects. It is based on current research on self-harm and on the interviews with parents whose children self-harmed. It contains quotes from them with advice for other parents as well as evidence-based information and links to sources of help.
The project is aimed at young people who are self harming or at risk of self harming, their parents and the professionals working with them. As part of No Harm Done, a series of resource packs were created for young people, parents and professionals. To access the resource pack for parents please click here.
Papyrus – Prevention of Young Suicide
Papyrus is a national charity for the prevention of young suicide. They deliver awareness and prevention training, provide confidential support and empower young people to lead suicide prevention activities in their own communities.
West Yorkshire & Harrogate Suicide Bereavement Service
NHS England has provided funding for a suicide bereavement service across West Yorkshire, Harrogate & Craven. The project is run by Leeds Mind and informed by the Leeds Suicide Bereavement Service. The workers have their own personal experience of suicide bereavement. You can access support as an individual or work place. We provide 1:1 support and peer support groups.
Child Safety
The NSPCC helpline provides help and support to thousands of parents, professionals and families.
Online Safety
Whether you are an online expert or you’re not sure where to start, the NSPCC’s tools and advice will help you keep your child safe. Whether you want to set up parental controls, adjust privacy settings or get advice on social networks, experts from the free O2 and NSPCC helpline are available to help: 0808 800 5002.
This resource offers information to help parents understand the digital world and raise resilient children.
Thinkuknow is an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command to keep children and young people safe.
This resource provides advice for parents about responding to their children viewing upsetting online content. This includes advice about blocking content and details of other sources of information and support for children and parents.
Staying Safe Online in the School Holidays
For many children and young people school holiday time will be spent using the internet to keep in touch with school friends, catch up with the latest apps and online trends, and play their favourite games. This blog looks at ways in which parents and carers can help keep their children safe as they start to spend more time online.
Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND)
If you are an autistic person, or know an autistic person who wants to help people around them understand what their normal is, this tool can help.
The National Autistic Society is the leading UK charity for autistic people and their families. They provide information, support and pioneering services, and campaign for a better world for autistic people.
The Ultimate Guide to Helping Children with Autism Sleep Soundly at Night
Research has found that 40 to 80 percent of people on the autism spectrum struggle to sleep. This guide includes more than 90 tips to help your family get more restful sleep.
Sensory integration is about how our brain receives and processes sensory information so that we can do the things we need to do in out everyday life.
This is a leaflet for families about the STOMP and STAMP programme, making sure children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both are only prescribed the right medication, at the right time and for the right reason.
Exam Stress
For many young people, receiving exam results can be a stressful and anxious time. Barbara, from our Parents Services Team, answers our questions on what parents can do to support their child on results day.
The regional young people’s group, Stairways with help from Calderdale Tough Times Reference Group has produced a short video to help spread some positive messages at what can be a stressful time for some young people.
An emotionally healthy approach to GCSEs, a guide for parents.
Supporting Your Teenager Through Their Exams
Exam time can be very stressful for everyone in the family as your teen may be feeling anxious and under pressure.
Help Your Child Beat Exam Stress
Tests and exams can be a challenging part of school life for children and young people and their parents or carers. But there are ways to ease the stress.
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