This Children’s Mental Health Week local health organisations are teaming up to encourage children and young people to get to know themselves and where they can go for support if they need it.

Children’s Mental Health Week takes place from 3-9 February 2025. Campaign organisers and national children’s mental health charity, Place2Be have chosen Know Yourself, Grow Yourself as the theme, which aims to empower children and young people to embrace self-awareness and better understand their mental health.

Jeanette Bowlay-Williams, consultant clinical psychologist at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, said: “By encouraging children and young people to get to know themselves and their feelings, it can help them to manage their emotions, build their resilience, create better connections with others develop their skills and talents and improve their self-esteem.

“These are all important life skills that will help children and young people to feel more in control of their emotions and improve their mental health as they develop.

“In a world where we are all often so busy and distracted, it is more important than ever to build the skill of reflection and notice how we truly feel, so that we can take steps to support our wellbeing.”

As part of the week, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust’s Mental Health Support Teams in Schools (MHSTs) will be holding special assemblies and workshops on the theme.

They will also highlight the local mental health and wellbeing support available to young people.

What support is available for children and young people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland?

MHSTs

Mental Health Support Teams in Schools (MHST) are part of a national programme to increase access to mental health support for children and young people. The LPT service works with over 100 schools across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and support children and young people who are experiencing low mood, worry, anxiety and sleep difficulties.

Healthy Together school nursing service

The Healthy Together school nursing service can provide advice and support on lots of topics such as: sleep, healthy lifestyle, relationships, emotional and mental health, anxiety and worry, understanding anger, self-harm, low mood and much more.

As well as accessing the service through school, parents and carers of all children up to 11-years-old in children living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland – and young people aged 11-19 in Leicester –  can contact a school nurse or health professional using the following services:

  • By calling the Healthy Together Helpline on 0300 300 3001. Calls are answered from 9am – 4.30pm on weekdays, excluding bank holidays.
  • By texting ChatHealth on: 07520  615381, for those who live in Leicester and 07520  615 382, for parents and carers in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Health for Kids website

The Health for Kids website includes areas for both primary school aged children and their parents and carers. The website has interactive games and articles covering topics such as healthy minds, healthy bodies, health issues and where to get professional help and support. All content has been produced by NHS school nurses and a whole range of other health and wellbeing experts.

Visit www.healthforkids.co.uk/ for more.

Health for Teens website

Young people can visit www.healthforteens.co.uk/ for advice and support on topics such as health, feelings, growing up, lifestyle, relationships, sexual health and where to go for local help. All articles and videos have been developed by trusted NHS school nurses and health and wellbeing experts.

Tellmi

Tellmi is a free peer support app where young people can talk about anything with people their own age. Tellmi is anonymous, but all posts and replies are pre-moderated by humans, so it is completely safe. High risk posts are passed straight to a qualified counsellor who responds privately. One-to-one text-based therapy can be accessed without a referral and there is a huge directory with links to local support.

Search Tellmi on your local app store to download.

My Self Referral

Get free, safe and confidential mental health support from the My Self Referral website, available to young people up to 18 living in Leicester Leicestershire or Rutland. It contains information about self-care and young people can complete a self-referral form to be considered for further mental health support from specialist services. Visit www.myselfreferral-llr.nhs.uk/

Teen Health Service

The Teen Health service is for young people aged 11 to 19 who live in or attend school in Leicestershire and Rutland.

This service can help with mental health and emotional wellbeing, including self-esteem, body image and building resilience, building healthy and positive relationships and making healthier choices to reduce substance misuse and alcohol consumption. Visit www.teenhealth.org.uk/ to find out more.

Chat Autism

Chat Autism offers confidential support for autistic people and their parents/carers/families or allies living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland via text message.

The service is available 9am-5pm every weekday, apart from bank holidays. A response will be provided within 24 hours.

Text 07312 277097.

NHS 111 Option 2

Anyone who needs urgent mental health support can call NHS 111 and press option 2.

You will be put through to a qualified call handler, who can provide local support, advice or signposting, whether this is from the NHS, the voluntary and community sector, or emotional support over the telephone.

Where needed, callers will either be transferred to a mental health practitioner, or they will receive a call back from a mental health practitioner, within 24 hours.

If there is an immediate or life-threatening emergency, call 999 or attend A&E.