Care experienced young people: Mental health and wellbeing
Our mental and emotional health is a complex thing and affects everyone differently. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It impacts how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
If you need support, it’s okay to ask for help. It’s not always easy to talk about but there is lots of support available for you when you feel ready.
It’s important to have a support network to help you and to listen to you. You can speak to a friend, carer, your Pathway Advisor (PA). There are lots of professional mental and emotional health services you access for support and someone to talk to.
We understand that talking to someone can be a big step. There are lots of thing you can do for yourself without waiting to be referred.
Here are some suggested contacts in Swindon for support around emotional and mental health.
Your own doctor
You can make an appointment to discuss how you are feeling. Appointments are confidential. If you think it will take some time to explain how you feel then ask to book a double appointment. If you find it hard to speak to people, you can write down your feelings or turn your back.
The GP visit guide from the Mental Health Foundation gives tips on how to prepare for an appointment with a GP.
You can also talk to your PA about booking an appointment, they can attend with you if you want support.
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)
IAPT services are available across England. In Swindon they are provided by LIFT Psychology. This is a short term talking therapy. They offer one to one sessions and a range of group sessions, these are currently online teams sessions. They have lots of different courses to support you including ‘overcoming low mood and depression’, ‘anger awareness’ and ‘building confidence’. These courses focus on steps that you can take yourself to help tackle your difficulties. Find out more here Lift Psychology courses.
You can refer yourself (or your GP can) on 01793 836836 to book a space.
Wiltshire Treehouse
If you’ve lost somebody close to you, Wiltshire Treehouse provide free bereavement support for children and young people 0 to 25 years old. You can refer yourself on 0800 028 840 or email support@wiltshiretreehouse.org.uk.
This service is for young people who live in postcodes SN1 - SN6, SN25 - SN25.
OnTrak
OnTrak offer free confidential counselling for young people aged 14 to 19 years old including support with relationships, friends, family, problems at school, loss and grief, alcohol misuse, eating problems, self-harm feeling low, abuse, neglect, hopes and fears.
OnTrak will give you priority as a Care Leaver so make sure you tell them. You can refer yourself by calling 01793 466366 or email ontrak@swindon.gov.uk.
Opening times: Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 9.30pm. Fridays from 9.30am to 5.00pm. The sessions are held at:
Clarence House
Euclid Street
Swindon
SN1 2SG
The Sandbox
The Sandbox is a free, safe and fun digital hub where you can learn more about how you can help yourself or where parents/carers and professionals can find information and advice to support the children they are in contact with.
The Sandbox has a live chat function, with the avatar Kaj who will help you finding the support and information you need. The Sandbox also brings you in contact with others who might experience the same feelings so you can help each other or you can engage in the live gaming streams.
The Sandbox also offers free online counselling for children and young people in Swindon where this has been identified as being the best form of support for them. Have a look!
- If your life or someone you knows life is in immediate danger, always call 999. They will be able to guide help you with what to do next.
- Call the Samaritans on 116 123, they offer 24 hour a day support to anyone who needs it. You can get in touch about anything that’s troubling you, no matter how large or small the issue feels.
- Call Papyrus on 0800 0684141 or text 07860 039967 - HOPELINEUK is a confidential support and advice service for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide, or anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide. They are open 9.00am to midnight daily.
- Text SHOUT to 85258 for a free, confidential, anonymous text support service. You can text from wherever you are in the UK.
There are some services in Swindon that offer support that you need to be referred to. A referral is usually made by your GP, Pathway Advisor or other professionals you may work with. They make this referral to something called the Swindon Single Point of Access (SPA).
These referrals are then looked at by someone with the right knowledge to decide what support you need. They may then ask you some questions to be able to make a referral or signposting you to a service that meets you needs. The following services are available to people under 18:
Be U Swindon
Be U Swindon is an early help mental health service for children and young people aged up to 18 (or up to 25 for those who are care experienced or have SEND) with a GP in Swindon.
Practitioners, also known as Educational Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs) are based in schools and work in close collaboration with nominated mental health leads within each school. The team offers individual and group support to young people with mental health issues including anxiety, low mood, phobias, difficulty with anger, self-esteem and behavioural difficulties. The team delivers low intensity CBT, parent-led CBT, group support, parenting programmes, and consultation for school staff.
The community team aims to support the emotional well-being of young people by ensuring that their mental health needs are addressed. These include low self-esteem, bereavement stress and anxiety, depression, self-harming, psychosis and ADHD. A professional may make a referral to this service for you such as your GP, Pathway Adviser or School/College or you can self-refer.
Be U Swindon works with partners and within the community to raise awareness of mental health issues, encourage people to speak about mental health and promote healthy mental well-being. They also help children, young people and families, who might otherwise find it difficult to access mental health support, by introducing them to other local professionals, charities and organisations.
You can access Be U Swindon and the Single Point of Access, for children and young people's mental health and well-being,or call 01793 781 484.
CAMHS (only available for up to 18 years old)
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) helps to promote emotional well-being and provide treatment to children and young people with mental health problems and disorders which impact significantly on daily functioning.
Professionals will need to refer you on 01865 903480
Connect with other people
Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing.
They can:
- help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth
- give you an opportunity to share positive experiences
- provide emotional support and allow you to support others
You could try to:
- arrange a day out with friends you have not seen for a while
- try switching off the TV to talk
- have lunch with someone you care about
- visit a friend or family member who needs support or company
- volunteer
Be physically active
Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:
- helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them
- causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood
Find out more about getting active. You could:
- find free activities to help you get fit
- if you have a disability or long-term health condition, find out about getting active with a disability
- start running with couch to 5k podcasts
- find out about getting started with exercise
Learn new skills
Learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by boosting your self-confidence. Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need to learn new things, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.
You could:
- try learning to cook something new
- work on a DIY project, there are lots of free video tutorials online
- try new hobbies that challenge you, such as writing a blog, taking up a new sport or learning to paint
Eat well
There are strong links between what we eat and how we feel. A diet that’s good for your physical health is also good for your mental health.
A healthy balanced diet includes:
- lots of different types of fruit and vegetables
- wholegrain cereals or bread
- nuts and seeds
- dairy products
- oily fish
- plenty of water
Eat at least three meals each day and drink plenty of water. Try to limit how many high-caffeine or sugary drinks you have, and avoid too much alcohol.
Ask for help
None of us are superhuman. We all sometimes get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel or when things go wrong. If things are getting too much for you and you feel you can’t cope, ask for help.
The people in your life may be able to offer practical help or a listening ear.
Do something you are good at
Enjoying yourself helps beat stress. Doing an activity you enjoy probably means you’re good at it and achieving something boosts your self-esteem.
Concentrating on a hobby like gardening or the crossword can help you forget your worries for a while and change your mood.
