Getting Advice

What does this look like?

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

  • Struggling to get to sleep sometimes, mind whirring, watching TV/Social Media late at night.

  • Lethargy towards school but goes, unusual tummy aches/headaches when at school, coming home ill.

  • Can't be bothered but will do 'stuff' when pushed/encouraged/hard to engage with activities.

  • Circle of friends reducing, starting to feel or look isolated, feeling bullied/starting to bully others, not talking to friends/communicating.

  • No patience, feeling vindicated/victimised.

  • Quieter than usual/withdrawing.

  • Starting to act out or easily distracted.
Who can help me and how do I contact them?

You can access advice, self-help groups, signposting, online support without a referral and at any time.

  • 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.

  • Primary Mental Health Workers (South Cumbria) - Provide advice and signposting to parents and professionals about services in the area that can support children and young people's mental health and emotional wellbeing and are a point of access to support.  You can contact the Primary Mental Health Workers directly at My Time in both the North and South via email at: 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.

  • E-School Nurse Video Clinics are available for families and professionals.  Parents worried about their children/young people can book a video slot to talk to a nurse.  To book an appointment telephone: 01228 603 973 or email: E-schoolnurse@ncic.nhs.uk

  • 0-19 Child and Family Support Service [PDF 518KB] - 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 refer to others who can help with a specific problem or need.  You can self-refer to this service.

  • Link Service is available across parts of Cumbria to children and young people aged 5-19 years, offering social prescribing - a non-medical solution to supporting health and wellbeing: linkcumbria@barnardos.org.uk
  • Child Bereavement UK - helps children, parents and families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.  They support children and young people up to the age of 25 who are facing bereavement, and anyone affected by the death of a child of any age through individual or group sessions.  You can self-refer to this service.
  • Bluebell Foundation (South Cumbria) - provides free support for families experiencing grief and for children up to the age of 18 who are grieving through the death or anticipated death of someone important to them.  They also offer support where a child has a life-limiting or life-threatening illness.  You can self-refer to this service.
  • 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.

  • Together All - online emotional support and counselling for aged 16+.

  • Additional websites providing more information:

Actions

Page last reviewed: 18/07/2023

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