Useful Links
Please see the websites and links below that might be useful for you:
Health Support Resources including Mental Health
Chat Health
ChatHealth is a confidential texting service offered by the Hertfordshire School Nursing Team. It’s safe and easy for you to speak to a qualified health professional. We provide advice, help and support to teenagers, with any health issues such as mental and emotional health, sexual health, healthy eating, bullying, alcohol, drugs, and stopping smoking. Whatever’s on your mind, we can help. Even if you just need someone who understands or want advice for a friend.
Chat Health: 07480 635050
Children's Wellbeing Practitioners Service
The Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner (CWP) training programme was driven by Health Education England as a response to ensure that children, young people and their parents/carers have access to evidence based preventative and early intervention support for common emotional wellbeing and mental health difficulties. The aim of the HCT Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners is to ensure that children and young people can easily access evidence-based support, early in the development of the problem through workshops, groups and 1-1 interventions.
- Adolescent Anxiety (For young people aged 11-19)
- Adolescent Low Mood (For young people aged 11-19)
CHUMS
Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Service supporting Children, Young People and their families, with other services specifically supporting adults; Babyloss Bereavement Service and Bedfordshire Suicide Bereavement Service.
First Steps Eating Disorders
Support for people with eating disorders (parent led aged 0-5 and Children / young people aged 5-18)
Healthy Young Minds in Herts
Healthy Young Minds in Herts is a website that contains information on many services that can provide help for children and young people who may be experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties. The website has separate sections for young people and parents/carers.
Hertfordshire Family Centre Service
Hertfordshire Family Centre Service offer support to children, young people, their parents, families and carers and can be contacted on: 0300 123 7572. They are open Mon-Fri, 8am - 6pm.
Hertfordshire parents - NESSie IN ED, CIC
Children and Young People Mental Health – Early Help Parent support Service for Parents/Carers in Hertfordshire
What we offer:
- Free online and face-to-face workshops
- Parent Support line: 07932 651319
- Private moderated Facebook support group: Nessie Parent/Carer Support Group
- 1-1 targeted brief support sessions
- Peer support groups
- ‘Drop In and Chat Coffee Mornings’ where you can discuss anything and everything
Just Talk
Information and support for young people and parents with concerns regarding Mental Health
PALMS
PALMS (positive behaviour, autism, learning disability and mental health service) works across Hertfordshire providing a specialist multidisciplinary approach to children and young people aged 0-18 who have a global learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder and their families. PALMS clinicians comprise a ‘virtual team’ delivering a consistent service in a variety of community settings.
Papyrus
If you, or a young person you know are not coping with life, you can contact HOPELINE247 ON: 0800 068 41 41 or text: 07860 039967 for confidential suicide prevention advice.
Samaritans
Call from any phone anytime for free 116 123
School Nursing Service
Whether you are a parent, teacher, GP, a health professional or from an agency, you can refer a child to the School Nursing Service using an online form. Make a referral online via the Family Centre Service. Young people can also self-refer into the service.
Signpost
Signpost is a counselling provision that supports children and young people aged 10-25 years across Hertfordshire.
Signpost aims to support children and young people by offering a safe and confidential space for them to talk about their mental health in the hope of supporting them to develop coping strategies, to build their self-esteem and confidence.
Single Point of Access (SPA)
Call 0300 777 0707 or 0800 644 4101.
Herts residents of all ages, including carers, GPs and other professionals can contact our 24/7 Single Point of Access (SPA) Mental Health Helpline team at any hour of the day or night, 365 days a year. The team can provide support for Herts residents who are experiencing a mental health crisis, need some mental health support or just want to talk.
The Toolbox
Online ADHD and Autism support for children and young people
With Youth
Our open access With Youth service provides online support to children and young people experiencing mental ill health and/or emotional distress.
This is a countywide service available for any Hertfordshire resident aged 5-18, as well as parents, carers and professionals.
YoungMinds
If you're worried about your child or young person’s mental health or wellbeing, you can call the Parents Helpline on: 0808 802 5544, Monday - Friday 9.30am - 4.00pm. The helpline provides detailed information, advice and support to parents or main carers of children and young people aged 25 or under.
Financial Support Resources
Bishop's Stortford Food Bank
Providing help to anyone in Bishop’s Stortford and the surrounding villages experiencing a food crisis.
Buntingford and Villages Food Support
Providing food for those in need in the town of Buntingford and the surrounding villages. Anyone who is struggling to buy food for themselves or their family can be referred to a Foodbank.
Food bank – Referral Service
You can ask Citizens Advice to refer you to a food bank. They'll usually make an appointment for you to discuss your situation with an adviser first.
If you can't go to Citizens Advice, you can ask for a referral from another organisation - for example your GP, housing association or social worker.
Your local council might be able to tell you how to get a referral to a food bank. You can find your local council's contact details on GOV.UK.
Food providers in North Herts
There are many food provision groups in North Herts. Some of the groups aim to help those in need, some aim to reduce food waste and others do a combination of the two.
Free Colgate toothpaste
We have tubes of Colgate Triple Action toothpaste, available to order, free of charge, via our pre-loved uniform website, Uniformd. Items ordered via Uniformd can be collected by students or parents/carers from the college office.
Free Period Products
We are able to order a range of products including standard, organic and re-usable pads and tampons as well as menstrual cups and period pants.
We have boxes of products located around the college so that students can discreetly help themselves, as well as a supply in the college office.
However, we realise that, for some students, this is awkward so we have also made the products available to order, free of charge, via our pre-loved uniform website, Uniformd . Items ordered via Uniformd can be collected by students or parents/carers from the college office.
Pre-loved uniform
The college has a range of pre-loved uniform available through Uniformd via this Uniformd
Other Support Resources
Dove self-esteem project
Self-esteem project for young people
Families First
Families First referral service provide support for you as a family. If you need more help than your usual support network -for example your health visitor, school, doctor or family centre – Families First can work with you and your family to create a package of support. Ask for support
Issues we can help with:
- Parenting
- Mental and physical health problems
- Drug or alcohol dependency
- Domestic abuse
- School related concerns – such as your child is not attending school
- Debt problems
- Risk of becoming homeless.
Hertfordshire Beacon Victim Care Service
Provides support to anyone who has been affected by crime. The current situation may have a huge impact on someone’s ability to cope and recover from a crime or incident. They are still providing support via phone and email to victims and witnesses, regardless of how long ago the crime happened or whether it has been reported to the police. Please see website for further information.
Relate
Counselling and advice for children, young people and adults
SafeCall - missing people
SafeCall is a free, confidential and anonymous helpline and support service for young people and family members that are affected by missing, county lines and criminal exploitation.
The service also provides confidential support and advice for professionals in relation to their work with an exploited young person or family. The service is open 9am to 11pm; 7 days a week.
Services for Young People
Services for Young People projects for young people in the East Herts district. The Services for Young People East Herts Team runs a wide range of groupwork projects for young people at our young people’s centres as well as street-based projects across the district.
TeenTips
Resources for parents / carers.
YGAM
Charity to support families with gambling