Specialist Children’s Services Useful Resources and Links

Keep a lookout for new publications, links and general information about health and wellbeing for children and young people. Have a look at the range of resources available to all children, young people and their families/carers.

Mental Health Telephone Supports

• Beautiful Inside and Out – A Scottish registered charity, supporting bereaved parents and siblings of suicide victims. Contact: 07984328808.

• Bereavement Support Helpline – The Wellness Society – Available 6pm-10pm every evening 0800 435 455.

• Breathing Space – Free and confidential telephone counselling service (0800 838 587).

• Childline – Mental health charity for children and young people. They have a free telephone helpline (0800 1111) and message boards where young people are encouraged to share experiences and support each other in a positive way.

• Diabetes Scotland – Call 0141 212 8710*, Monday–Friday, 9.00am – 6.00pm or email helpline.scotland@diabetes.org.uk Confidential helpline (charges apply) that can provide information about the condition and take time to talk through and explore emotional, social, psychological or practical difficulties.

• Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage/Gender Based Violence – For anyone needing support for domestic abuse as well as family members, this is a confidential, sensitive service for anyone to call. You can speak to a professional in your preferred language: 0800 027 1234 or email helpline@sdafmh.org.uk

• Families Outside – Provides help, information and support for families affected by imprisonment. Helpline: 0800 254 0088. Text FAMOUT to 6077.

• FRANK – Provides support around drugs. Call 0300 123 6600, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or Text 82111 with a question and FRANK will text you back. For people with hearing impairments, you can Textphone FRANK on 0300 123 1099. If you call when your friends are around we may ask you to call back when you’re on your own. Calls from a landline cost no more than a normal national call (to an 01 or 02 number). The calls may show up on the bill. Calls from a mobile phone vary in cost depending on what network you’re on. The call may show up on the bill. You can talk to FRANK in 120 languages – just call the same number and an interpreter will be there if you want.

• LGBT Youth Scotland – If you need to talk text 07984 356 512 or you can participate in online chats.

• Marie Curie Scotland – Free helpline to anyone affected by the death of the loved one at any time in their life. Call 0800 090 2309.

• National Bullying Helpline – 0845 22 55 787 (call charges apply) provides practical help and advice for children and adults dealing with bullying at school or work.

• NHS Living Life – Free phone service for those aged 16+ experiencing anxiety, low mood and mild to moderate depression. Guided self-help and cognitive behavioural therapy (0800 328 9655).

• PETAL – Telephone and face to face counselling and support for families and friends of murder and suicide victims including support for children and young people. Contact 0168 324 502.

• Rosey Project – Support for girls aged 13-25 who have experienced sexual violence. Call freephone helpline 08088 00 00 14, 7 days a week 11.00am – 2.00pm Mon to Thurs , 5.30pm – 7.30pm.

• Sandyford – Sandyford is the specialist sexual health service for Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Young people clinics are open Tues and Thurs evenings from 4.00pm – 4.00pm at Sandyford Central. These are not drop-in clinics and young people must book an appointment online or phone 0141 211 8130.

• Shout – Crisis Text service available 24/7 Text YM to 85258.

• Talktime Scotland – Provide free counselling and emotional support to young people aged 12-25 with a physical disability and long term health conditions living in Scotland. To book an initial appointment just ring or text us on 07774 210104 or email on talktimescotland@gmail.com
• Rape Crisis Scotland – Freephone 08088 01 03 02, every day, 6.00pm – 12.00am.
• Young Minds – Parents Help Line: Offers guidance and support to parents concerned about their child’s mental health (0808 802 5544).

For Children & Young People

• Cove – This app helps people to capture their mood and express it by making music. Note: you do not need to know how to play an instrument to use this app.
• Childline – Mental health charity for children and young people that has a wide variety of helpful videos, games and articles. They have a free telephone helpline (0800 1111) and message boards where young people are encouraged to share experiences and support each other in a positive way.
• Chill Panda – This free app is for children and adults who want to learn how to manage stress and worry, and feel better.
• Clear Fear – This free app aims to help children and teenagers manage anxiety. The app helps to reduce physical responses to threats and change thoughts and behaviours through distraction and helpful activities.
• Coping Skills for Kids – A website that provides free resources for teaching children about healthy ways to cope with stress, anxiety and anger.
• HospiChill – An app designed to help young people prepare for hospital and clinic appointments. The app provides helpful relaxation and visualisation exercises.
• Kooth – Free mental health support from online counsellors. A free sign up service with discussion boards, helpful tips, articles written by young people, and the option to write mood journals and set positive goals.
• NHSGGC Child and Youth Mental Health Resource – A further wide range of resources are available here.

For Young People

• Ayemind – Website aimed at improving the mental wellbeing of young people. Includes resources for young people and professionals. Ayemind also signposts to lots of other useful websites.
• Calm – A mindfulness app that includes various relaxing sounds to listen to, visualisations to help relaxation, “sleep stories”, and guided meditations.
• Calm Harm – An app to help teenagers manage or resist the urge to self-harm by providing a wide range of distraction techniques.
• Papyrus – Mental health charity dedicated to preventing young suicide by providing support and resources for young people and their families. The “Hopeline” (Call: 0800 068 4141/ Text: 07860 039 967 / E-mail pat@papyrus-uk.org) is for children and young people experiencing thoughts of suicide, or for anyone concerned for a young person.
• SafeSpot – An app designed in Glasgow to help young people improve their coping skills and promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

• Smiling Mind – A free app for encouraging mindfulness, meditation and positive wellbeing.
• Young Minds – Young Minds provides a range of mental health help and advice for young people. This charity also encourages young people to get involved in raising awareness about children’s and young people’s mental health.
• YoungMinds Crisis Messenger – Provides free, 24/7 mental health crisis support across the UK. If you need urgent help text YM at 85258. All texts are answered by trained volunteers, with support from experienced clinical supervisors.
• Young Scot – If your young person is feeling a bit overwhelmed or scared right now (Coronavirus), this site has information for young people about what’s happening and the simple steps everyone can take to help keep healthy.
• Body Image – Having a poor body image has been found to have a negative impact on self-esteem and wellbeing. It is a good idea to start to build a positive sense of your body and celebrate all the amazing things your body can do rather than being critical of it. You have a long life ahead of you, look after and enjoy your body, be kind to it and yourself. If you are struggling with your body image start your journey towards body confidence and acceptance now. Have a look at the following websites and resources BeReal and Beat (try breaking free and think resilience) Is your social media use making your body image worse? Have a look at this research, is it time to cleanse your social media?

For All the Family

• NHSGGC KIDS for Families – A website Helping families support their babies, children and young people to live healthy lives and reach their full potential. The KIDS for Families app and website were created by health professionals from Specialist Children’s Services. They offer trusted advice and resources to support development from birth through the teenage years. You’ll also find guidance on where to get help and how to support your child at every stage.
• NHS Every Mind Matters – Advice about general mental health and Mental Wellbeing while Staying at Home. Also Your Mind Plan, which is an interactive quiz designed to help you feel more in control of your emotional and mental wellbeing.
• Children with Exceptional Healthcare Needs – Children with Exceptional Healthcare Needs (CEN), is a National Managed Clinical Network (NMCN) with the aim of strengthening specialist services for children with complex and exceptional healthcare needs in Scotland. The CEN Network is one of a range of specialist networks within the National Network Management Service (NNMS), which is part of NHS National Services Scotland, a national board operating at the heart of NHS Scotland.
• Child Bereavement UK – A site with resources for children and young people who are grieving, as well as providing information and advice to families/professionals on how to best support someone who is bereaved. A helpline is also available on 0800 028 840.
• Combined Minds – This app provides parents, families and friends with practical advice on how to support children and young people with their mental health.
• Headspace – A mindfulness app that has more of a “podcast feel” to it with various talks, guided meditations and helpful videos available.
• Living Life to the Full – Free online courses covering low mood, stress and resilience – more adult-orientated.
• MindShift CBT – A free app designed to help adults and teens cope with anxiety. Also provides strategies for adults to help their children with anxiety.
• Samaritans – A charity that offers mental health support and information online for everyone. Their helpline is free and available to all ages. Call 116 123 or e-mail jo@samaritans.org (24/7).
• Stress and Anxiety Companion – A free app to help handle stress and anxiety. The app includes breathing exercises, relaxing music and games.
• Togetherall – Togetherall is a safe, online community where people support each other anonymously to improve mental health and wellbeing. Millions of people in the UK have access via their participating employer, university, college, NHS provider or local council.

• Winston’s Wish – Giving hope to grieving children and young people.
• NHS Inform – Latest coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance from NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government. The website will give you all the advice you need to keep yourself safe.
• Staying Safe Website – If you’re struggling and you’re not sure if you want to live or die, can you, just for now hold off making this decision and keep reading the information and watching the videos for some ideas about how to get through. There may be things that you – and other people – can do to make things better.
• FRANK – Honest information about drugs.
• I Am Me Scotland – Changing attitudes and behaviours so that disabled and vulnerable people can feel safe within their communities.
• Asthma UK – Speak to an asthma expert nurse on their helpline 0300 222 5800. Also, visit their website which is providing updated information on COVID-19 as they receive it.
• Epilepsy Scotland – Provides a free confidential helpline that provides information and emotional support to anyone affected by epilepsy. Call 0808 800 2200, Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 4.30pm. The website hosts a range of information and resources
• Body Image – Negative body image can seriously impact children’s and young people’s mental health. This report by the mental health foundation highlights the issues and gives good advice and the Dove website has useful resources for parents. In addition for young people, 16+ years parents could consider working through this resource with your young person.

For Parents and Carers

We invite you to read our Healthy Minds Reading List for primary and secondary-aged school children.

Please click on the link below to access the Healthy Minds Leaflets

• Healthy Minds Leaflet – aged 0-4
• Healthy Minds Leaflet – aged 5-7
• Healthy Minds Leaflet – aged 8-11
• Healthy Minds Leaflet – aged 12-18