Parent and Carer Support

Help in the Holidays

If you need to access mental health or wellbeing support for your young person over the Summer Holidays, there are several organisations that are accessible detailed below.

In addition, support and advice can be accessed through your GP, NHS 111 and in an emergency, via 999/A&E. There is information about safeguarding here on our safeguarding webpage.

Mindworks Surrey has a range of resources for young people and parents on emotional wellbeing, click here for their 24/7 Crisis Support.

Safe Havens provide out of hours help and support to people and their carers who are experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress.

Papyrus has a range of resources aimed at suicide prevention, including their telephone service Hopeline247.  The number is 0800 068 41 41. Click here for their emergency Hope Line.

Kooth provides free, safe and anonymous support online.

The Samaritans is a 24- hour service offering confidential emotional support to anyone who is in a crisis, call 116123.

Childline is a free and confidential support service for under 19 year olds.  Call 0800 1111

Young Minds SHOUT Messenger Service is a free 24/7 text support service available to anyone struggling with their mental health, text SHOUT to 85258.

Surrey CC Family information Service offers free and impartial information and signposting service on all aspects of family life for parents of children and young people aged 0–25.

Support Resources

Drug education charity, the Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation, in association with Surrey Adult Learning, hosted a Drug & Alcohol Awareness workshop via webinar on Wednesday 19 June.

You can watch the recording of this HERE on YouTube.

The world for young people is a very different place than it was for their parents, including their vulnerability to risk from drugs and alcohol, with levels of exposure and access greater than ever before. 

The workshop covered

  • levels of young people’s exposure to drugs and alcohol – what, where, when and how
  • what young people, and their parents and carers, need to know about the risks of drugs and alcohol
  • factors that affect young people’s decisions about drugs and alcohol, including teenage brain development
  • how to have effective conversations with your child, and practical suggestions for what you can do to support them to stay safe
  • where to go for more information and support.

The Daniel Spargo-Mabbs Foundation was set up by Fiona and Tim Spargo-Mabbs in 2014 after the tragic death of their 16-year-old son Daniel as a result of taking ecstasy. The aim of the charity is to support young people to make safe choices about drugs, and they work with students, teachers, parents/carers and professionals in schools, colleges and community organisations across the UK.

Fiona has become a leading UK expert on drug education, including how parents can best support their children. She has spoken to parents and carers across the UK and internationally and is regularly asked to speak by the media. She is author of two books for parents, the award-winning ‘I Wish I’d Known – Young People, Drugs and Decisions’ (Sheldon Press, 2021) and ‘Talking the Tough Stuff with Teens’ (Sheldon Press, 2022), and was awarded an OBE in 2023 for services to young people.

If you have any questions about the workshop please contact the Foundation by emailing Nikki Adamson at bookings@dsmfoundation.org.uk.

Parenting Smart, by Place2Be

Click HERE for practical tips and advice to support young people's wellbeing and behaviour. 

 

Mental Health Difficulties in Children & Young People

Andrew Tate Info from Carrington School

Andrew Tate Info from Hope Not Hate

County Lines - What is This, and What Can Parents Do? 

Our local YMCA East Surrey Community Wellbeing Team, offer really excellent FREE workshops for parents on a range of issues; some of these are in-person events and some are online.

Click here for details about the YMCA Parent Workshops

 

Worth Warrior is a free, safe app to help young people with body image and eating difficulties

As an antidote to this situation, fighting like with like and using the mobile phone as a force for good, youth mental health charity stem4, with a grant from the NIHR, has created the Worth Warrior app.

It is a free evidence-based, mobile phone app to help young people overcome issues of negative body image, low self-worth, and related early-stage eating difficulties or eating disorders. The Worth Warrior app, recommended for ages 12 and above, has been developed by Consultant Clinical Psychologist Dr Nihara Krause, CEO and founder of youth mental health charity stem4, in collaboration with young people and clinician feedback. Using principles of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Eating Disorders (CBT-E), it provides a range of helpful activities and information, based on the notion that eating and body-related issues can be helped through learning to challenge and change negative thoughts, emotions, and behaviours towards body image, and improve underlying low self-worth.

More information can be found here Worth Warrior App