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Getting Help

What does this look like?

Children and young people have said they maybe feeling or showing the following:

  • Regularly struggling to sleep - stress, anxiety, worrying, sleep patterns causing concern - impacting on daily life.

  • Odd day off, regular illness, tummy ache, headache, etc.  Change in or concerning attendance pattern - attendance under 60%.

  • Disengaging from learning/not attaining academically as previous.

  • Starting to disengage - regularly missing activities.

  • Say they don't like things anymore that they previously loved or were positive about - or can't be bothered what's the point?

  • Engaging with riskier activities/behaviours/change in appearance.

  • No longer joining in or falling out with friends, describing nobody like me.  Friends starts to report concerns, isolation from family.

  • Change in Social Media activity, ie - increase/decrease.

  • Being guarded when asked questions, moody/snapping at people, tearful, becoming irrational/not coping with simple tasks, situations/focus.

  • Worrying about things that they can't control, but still logical.

  • Occasional panic attacks.

Who can help me and how do I contact them?

  • School/College Pastoral Support - speak to your child's class teacher, headteacher, pastoral lead, head of year, SENCo or safeguarding lead if you need help.  Some schools also have the Mental Health in Schools Programme - check to see if your school has and if you can access additional support.  Your child's school may also have an emotional literacy support assistant (ELSA) who can support your child with their emotional wellbeing.

  • 0-19 Child and Family Support Service - Offer one to one support for children/young people, group activities with a particular focus (for children, young people or parents/carers), help to find a solution to a particular problem or difficulty, or to others who can help with a specific problem or need.  You can self-refer to this service.
  • Cumbria Family Support - Offer group and individual support for parents/carers and children which helps to explore their wishes and feelings and provides an insight into what it is like for them to live in their situation.  You can self-refer to this service.

  • County Psychological Service and Specialist Teachers - Provide advice and support to assist a child's special educational need and disability (SEND) and emotional wellbeing when impacting on their education.

  • My Time Cumbria - My Time is part of the CAMHS service for children and young people who need emotional health and wellbeing support.  My Time work with mild to moderate emotional health presentations such as anger, anxiety, low mood, self-harm and depression.  You can self-refer to this service.
    To contact My Time and CAMHS in both the North and South email: mytimecumbria@barnardos.org.uk or telephone: 01539 742 626. 
    The admin team monitor emails daily (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) and will allocate your query to a practitioner who will then contact you.

  • SAFA - Self Harm Awareness for All supports children and young people through advice and counselling and broader issues.  You can self-refer to this service. Email: help@safa-selfharm.com. Telephone: 01229 832 269

  • Kooth - Free and confidential online advice and counselling service for children and young people aged 11 to 19.  It is a safe place to go and explore a variety of emotional health and wellbeing issues.

  • Togetherall - Online emotional support and counselling for age 16 plus.
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