If you (or your child, if you're a parent/carer) are feeling low, anxious, or generally struggling, there are lots of services available to help you, all year round. Please always ask for support if you need it and don’t ever struggle on alone.
The services below are all free. They don’t need a professional referral, so you can contact them directly.
If you or someone you know of any age is having a mental health crisis and needs help right now, call:
24/7 freephone HPFT SPA* Mental Health Helpline: 0800 6444 101
or NHS 111 (option 2)
Hertfordshire’s NHS 24/7 mental health helpline
If yourself or someone else is seriously ill or injured, dial 999 for the emergency services, or go to your nearest A&E
*Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Single Point of Access (HPFT SPA)
Additional National Helpline Numbers and Websites:
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are based on extensive international research and can help all year round, so please spend 20 minutes completing the free online e-learning modules here and take a look at the links below for lots of other tips and resources:
Self-help resources and other useful websites:
There are lots of things that can affect any one of us, so please click on the words below if you’re looking for more information on any of these topics:
Getting Advice and Help (phone and/or online support services plus emotional wellbeing cafés)
With YOUth Digital Wellbeing Service
For ages 5-18, parents/care givers
Available to help children and young people to cope with what’s going on for them. They have a helpline and instant messaging service for young people and/or their parents or care givers.
Friendly advisors can listen and chat with you online or over the phone 020 8189 8400 2pm-10pm seven days a week (excluding bank holidays), give their advice and offer you more one to one or group support if you need it.
Lumi Nova Tales of Courage (part of With YOUth Service)
For ages 7-12
The With YOUth Digital Wellbeing Service and Lumi Nova Therapeutic Gaming App can help with problems such as mild to moderate anxiety, low mood, low self esteem, stress and any other worries. The service is not for children and young people who are in crisis.
Herts Haven Cafés in South Oxhey, Watford and Stevenage
For ages 10-18
Safe and Welcoming Drop-in Cafes for Young People to Embrace their Emotional Wellbeing
Compassionate face to face emotional wellbeing support and guidance from trained workers, without the need for a professional referral.
The Sandbox
For ages 10-25
Sandbox offers online advice and guidance and is free to sign up. They help young people to understand and learn ways to manage their feelings, so they feel happier and more able to cope with the ups and down of life that we all experience.
Sign up for this free NHS funded service. It offers a website with access to games, worksheets, group chats and online events for children, young people, their parents/carers, teachers and other professionals. The Sandbox provides access to internet enabled Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT), or one to one support from professional therapists by text, phone, online chat or video call, based on a triage of the young person’s needs:
- Website: 24/7
- Therapy sessions: Mondays-Fridays 7am-10pm and Saturdays and Sundays 10am–10pm
- Live Chat: Mondays-Fridays 10am-8pm
Hertfordshire's NHS (HPFT IAPT*) Wellbeing Service
For ages 16+
Confidential talking therapies and other practical support to help improve emotional wellbeing.
*Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust Improving Access to Psychological Therapies.
Togetherall
For ages 16+
Offering a range of support, courses and advice, togetherall is a safe, online community where people support each other anonymously to improve mental health and wellbeing.
First Steps to Understanding Eating Disorders (First Steps ED)
For ages 5-18, parents/care givers
Digital and face to face one-to-one support sessions, as well as weekly psychoeducation and group support programmes (Wellbeing Workshop, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) Support Group, Binge Eating Workshops etc). Parents, carers and older siblings can also gain access to First Steps ED’s Parent Support Programme.
NESSie Free Early Help Parenting Support Service
For parents/care givers
Support for parents/carers of children and young people with emotional and mental health issues. NESSie's services include:
- Free online and face-to-face parent/carer workshops within a school/community setting.
- Parent Support line: 07932 651319 (Thursdays 9am-12pm or by appointment).
- 1-to-1 targeted support sessions by appointment.
- Drop-in coffee mornings for a chance to gain peer support.
- Private moderated Facebook support group
ChatHealth
Text a School Nurse on 07480 635050
For ages 11-19
This is a confidential service where you can ask for help on a range of issues including weight and exercise, healthy eating, stress or anxiety, relationships and sexual health. Available Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
Text the Health Visiting Service on 07480 635164
For parents/care givers of 0-5 year olds
Text the Health Visiting Service for advice anytime between Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.