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Media Smart and First News have come together to create the Boys' Biggest Conversation - a campaign to encourage young men, across the UK, to talk about body image and the effect it has on their mental wellbeing.
With the help of TV doctor and youth specialist, Dr Ranj, we've made a fascinating short film featuring boys from schools around the country. Have a watch and hear what they have to say on the matter...

If you are a teacher and the film has struck a chord, why not carry on the conversation in the classroom by downloading Media Smart's free educational resources on body image.

Likewise, parents or guardians, can use our free guidelines for discussions at home.

If you or anybody else you know have been affected by the issues raised in the film you can contact theon 0808 800 5000 oron. Alternatively, visit their websites for further advice and support.

Join and support our campaign by following and sharing the hashtag #ThisBoyTalks.

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Media Smart and First News have come together to create the Boys' Biggest Conversation - a campaign to encourage young men, across the UK, to talk about body image and the effect it has on their mental wellbeing. With the help of TV doctor and youth specialist, Dr Ranj, we've made a fascinating short film featuring boys from schools around the country.

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Self-Esteem Team | UK's leading mental health speakers for schools

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Self-Esteem Team | UK's leading mental health speakers for schools

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Mental health awareness for schools, UK wide. For primary schools, secondary schools, boarding schools, colleges & universities, and conferences too.

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Essential support for under 25s

The Mix. Registered charity number: 1048995

Welcome to The Mix, a support service for young people. There are loads of ways you can get support from us, including our articles, videos, helpline, counselling, forums, apps and more. To find which service suits your needs use the drop down menu below.

Log in

Welcome to The Mix, offering essential support for under 25s.

Log in to submit your own content on our platform Your Voices.

If you do not have an account with us you can sign up here.
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Welcome to The Mix, the online guide to life for young people in the UK.

Your Voices is a community-focused section of The Mix where you can share stories about your experiences on a specific issue. Upload your own videos, images, blog posts, and playlists to Your Voices and share them with your friends.

Don't have a Your Voices account? Sign up here to submit your own content.

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Essential support for under 25s The Mix. Registered charity number: 1048995 Welcome to The Mix, a support service for young people. There are loads of ways you can get support from us, including our articles, videos, helpline, counselling, forums, apps and more. To find which service suits your needs use the drop down menu below.

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Since 2004, Dove has been building self-esteem in young people – and by 2020, we’ll have helped 40 million through our educational programmes.

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The Be Real Campaign - Body Confidence for Everyone

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The Be Real Campaign is a national movement made up of individuals, schools, businesses and charities that is determined to change attitudes to body image and help all of us put health above appearance and be confident in our bodies.

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Body image is the term used to describe the way that we see ourselves. It's how we think and feel about our appearance and the relationship we have with our bodies. Most people from time to time feel unsure or lack confidence in their image and appearance such as having thoughts about wanting to be a bit taller or worrying about what our hair or skin might look like. For a lot of people they worry about the size and shape of their body. Boys and girls can worry about their body image and appearance and these worries can have a really big impact on daily life. For some young people, they worry so much it can get in the way of school, friendships and socialising as well as their mood and emotional wellbeing.

Self-esteem is how we feel about ourselves in general. People with good self-esteem are generally confident and accepting of themselves, they are able to see their positive qualities and experience feelings such as pride in themselves. Those with low self-esteem may experience thoughts or beliefs about not being good enough or as good as other people and may struggle to identify positive qualities or characteristics in themselves. People with low self-esteem may struggle to make friends or struggle at school which only makes them believe they are not as good as others even more.

Lots of things can help to boost our body image and self-esteem including;

Relationships with our friends and families

Doing activities and hobbies that we enjoy and are good at

Achieving our goals

Having things to look forward to and plans

Recognising what we do well at and noticing our strengths and positive qualities.

There are also lots of things that can have a negative impact on our body-image and self-esteem, including;

Comparing ourselves to others. This happens a lot on social media where you can be bombarded by pictures and messages about what others are doing.

Being bullied or feeling unsupported and unappreciated by others

Not having hobbies or interests so boredom and dissatisfaction with yourself and your life can set in.

Not spending time with other people; avoiding or withdrawing from social contact can make you feel more isolated and alone

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Body image is the term used to describe the way that we see ourselves. It’s how we think and feel about our appearance and the relationship we have with our bodies. Most people from time to time feel unsure or lack confidence in their image and appearance such as having thoughts about wanting to be…

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Welcome to the Stonewall Book List for schools, colleges, parents, and carers. We've hand-selected a wide range of LGBTQ-inclusive books for children and young people to enjoy. Since we first released our book lists, there has been enormous growth in LGBTQ-inclusive children's and young adult literature, which is wonderful to see!

We hope you and the children in your life enjoy the books from this list. As with any resources for children and young people, do make sure you check them first to ensure they suit the child or young person's abilities and needs.

This is an ever-growing list so please do check in for updates from time to time. We are always keen to hear if you've read a fantastic LGBTQ-inclusive book for children and/or young people that isn't yet on the list - please let us know by emailing education@stonewall.org.uk.

Happy reading!

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LGBTQ+ inclusive books for children and young people

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Welcome to the Stonewall Book List for schools, colleges, parents, and carers. We've hand-selected a wide range of LGBTQ-inclusive books for children and young people to enjoy. Since we first released our book lists, there has been enormous growth in LGBTQ-inclusive children's and young adult...

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Children's books on gender identity and sexuality

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Home " Children's books on gender identity and sexuality

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LGBT Foundation – A national charity with LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.

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A national charity with LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.

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The Proud Trust- Resources for LGBT+ Young People

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Coming Out, Exploring Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Faith and Religion, Staying Safe and much more.

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The BeYou Project is delivered by Porchlight on behalf of the NHS.

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Resources - The BeYou Project - Porchlight

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Are you looking for answers? Our resources will help you find the information you need.

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We support LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and those questioning their sexual or gender identity) children, young people and their families in the UK.

All of our services strive to be safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ young people.

We provide direct support to LGBTQ children and young people around their gender and sexual identities. We also work with parents, carers and families.

Through our Positive Identities service we offer training to schools, professionals and community groups. Our training raises awareness of LGBTQ lives, promotes inclusion and tackles homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying.

Find out more and get advice.

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We support LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and those questioning their sexual or gender identity) children, young people and their families in the UK. All of our services strive to be safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ young people. We provide direct support to LGBTQ children and young people around their gender and sexual identities.

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Local and national LGBT+ support services and social groups

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Problems

Agencies which can offer Support and Information

Beaumont Society:
01582 412220
www.beaumontsociety.org.uk
National 24hr helpline and other support for transvestites, transsexuals, their partners and families. Self help organisation offering advice on cross dressing and gender dysphoria. Social functions, magazine for members.

Depend:
www.depend.org.uk
Free confidential advice, inormation and support for all family member, spouses, partners and friends of transsexual people in the UK.

Gendered Intelligence:
http://genderedintelligence.co.uk/
Work with the trans community and those who impact on trans lives; particularly specialise in supporting young trans people under the age of 21.

Deliver trans youth programmes, support for parents and carers, professional development and trans awareness training for all sectors and educational workshops for schools, colleges, Universities and other educational settings.

Mission is to increase understandings of gender diversity.

Gires: The Gender Identity Research & Education Society:
www.gires.org.uk
Information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them.

LGBT Helpline Scotland:
0300 123 2523
https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/services-support/lgbt-mental-health/lgbt-helpline-scotland/
Open every Tuesday and Wednesday from 12-9pm. Information and emotional support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families, friends and supporters across Scotland.

LGBT Youth Scotland: (Area served Scotland)
www.lgbtyouth.org.uk - Helpline and other information, advice and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people under 26. Advice on range of issues including housing. Scotland wide network of events for young people and group leaders.

Mindline Trans+
0300 330 5468
https://bristolmind.org.uk/help-and-support/mindline-transplus/
Confidential, emotional, mental health support helpline for people who identify as Transgender, Agender, Gender Fluid, Non Binary...
Also support family members and friends

One Parent Families (Scotland): 0808 801 0323
www.opfs.org.uk - Helpline information and advice for lone parents. Includes parenting issues for gay lesbian, bisexual, transgender parents and for children of gay, lesbian, bi, transgender parents.

TransLiving International:
www.transliving.co.uk
Helpline advice, information, counselling and self help support groups for transvestites, transsexuals and their wives, partners and families. Monthly social functions and quarterly international magazine to members.

Websites

www.parentsenquiryscotland.org support for parents and families of lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender children.

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Gender dysphoria

Gender dysphoria is when someone experiences unease because their gender identity is different from, or doesn't sit comfortably with, the sex they were registered at birth. Gender dysphoria is not a mental illness, but some people may develop mental health problems such as depression or anxiety, as a result of gender dysphoria.

Gender dysphoria can start from a very young age. This could include things like not wanting to wear masculine or feminine clothing. Older children may feel anxious or uncomfortable about the changes that happen during puberty, such as starting their period, or their voice deepening. However, this type of behaviour is reasonably common in childhood and is part of growing up. It doesn't mean that all children behaving this way have gender dysphoria or other gender identity issues.

In 2022/23 Childline delivered almost 3,400 sessions about sexuality and gender identity.

Common themes for children contacting Childline with questions about their gender identity are: anxiety about their feelings, fear of not being accepted, lack of available support, and the time it takes for them to access support services.

Transitioning

Some young people who experience gender dysphoria may decide to transition. Transitioning is the jouney someone takes from presenting themselves as the gender which corresponds to the sex they were registered at birth, to presenting themselves as the gender they feel they are.

Children and young people may choose to do this in different ways and at different stages depending on what they feel comfortable with. Some young people may choose to do this privately or just with close friends and family, before coming out more publicly.

A child or young person's transition may involve changing the way they look or dress. For example, they might want to wear makeup or shave their facial hair. Some children may also want to visit the doctor to get support or discuss their options for medical treatment. Your GP should be able to provide advice and guidance about what options are available to support children and families.

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Advice to help parents and carers understand gender identity and how to support a child.

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Gender Identity & Mental Health | Guide For Parents

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If your child is transgender or struggling with their gender identity, read our information and advice on supporting them and on where you can get help.

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💫 Julian is a Mermaid [READ ALOUD] by Jessica Love

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Experiencing a mental health/ emotional crisis means feeling unable to cope with overwhelming or upsetting thoughts and feelings. Crisis is different for everyone. There may be different triggers and different ways in which people experience crisis- there is no right or wrong way to think or feel when in crisis. Not everyone who engages in self-harm behaviour is in crisis and not everyone who engages in self-harm is suicidal. Not everyone who experiences suicidal thoughts or urges engages in self-harm and they may not appear to be in crisis.

Situations that might trigger or contribute towards experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis for children and young people:

Relationship difficulties or conflict and arguments with friends, family or partners.

Bulling/ teasing/ harassment (verbal, physical, emotional, financial, sexual); direct or indirect.

Abuse (verbal, physical, emotional, financial, sexual, neglect); direct or indirect
Being in or worrying about being in trouble.

Having multiple demands/ having too many things to process, manage or do
Being a carer and or having increased responsibilities.

Stressful or traumatic life events which can be sudden, unexpected or expected such as accidents, injury or illness, bereavement, family breakdown or change in living circumstances.

Physical health illness or pain (to self or other)

Change or transition (e.g., school)

Perceived or real failure/ not meeting expectations or hopes

Build up of difficulties or long term

Extreme fatigue

Drug and alcohol misuse

Self-Harm
Self-harm involves the act of doing something to cause harm or omitting to do something which in turn may cause harm (such as not taking prescribed medications).

There are many forms of self-harm.

There are many reasons why a young person may engage in self-harm and each individual episode of self-harm may have a different trigger or reason. The most important thing to know about self-harm is that it is purposeful and meaningful; it serves a need or function.

Self-harm can be a very secretive behaviour as if often associated with feelings such as guilt and shame which can make it hard for someone to share how they are feeling and what they are doing. Here are some signs to look out for;

Unexplained cuts, bruises or cigarette burns on the body. These marks could be anywhere on someone's body.

Unexplained blood stains on tissues, sheets or clothing.

Keeping themselves fully covered at all times, even in hot weather.

Self-loathing and low self-esteem; blaming themselves, thinking they're not good enough or expressing a wish to punish themselves ; making statements of worthlessness or hopelessness.

Becoming very withdrawn and not speaking to others.

Unusual weight loss or weight gain, or changes in eating habits. A young person may try to hide this by wearing loose clothing or being secretive about eating.

Evidence of vomiting in toilets, wash basins, showers or baths (drains may become blocked).

Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally and purposefully ending one's life.
A lot of young people may experience thoughts about wanting to harm themselves or end their life, particularly when in crisis or they experience a distressing life event.

It can be difficult to notice if a young person is experiencing thoughts and urges or even making plans to end their life, particularly as suicidal thoughts and urges can occur suddenly, unexpectedly and impulsively, especially among adolescents.

Some signs include but are not limited to;

Withdrawing from friends, family, responsibilities, commitments and previously enjoyed activities.

Low mood and or irritability which is uncharacteristic.

Uncharacteristically reckless behaviour.

Disinterest in maintaining personal hygiene or appearance.

Poor diet changes, rapid weight changes.

Appearing distracted or agitated.

Poor sleep.

Alcohol or drug misuse.

Expressing or appearing hopeless; failing to see a future or appearing to give up or be disinterested in their hopes, dreams, goals or ambitions.

Believing they are a burden to others.

Saying they feel worthless or alone.

Talking about death or wanting to die

Steps to take if a young person is in crisis or makes a disclosure of self-harm or suicidal intent:

Protect time and space to listen to them without interruption; think about the setting you are in.

Listen calmly, without judgement or rushing to solutions (unless it is an emergency and requires immediate intervention).

Validate the emotion, not necessarily the behaviour.

Provide information about where or how to access appropriate support.

Encourage young people to make safe, informed decisions.

Don't make promises you can't keep

Making a crisis and coping plan with a young person:
Every young person could benefit from having their own person crisis and coping plan, whether they are known to experience episodes of crisis or not. A crisis and coping plan can be completed by anyone but should always be done with a young person.

A crisis and coping plan should consider the following;

What it looks like when the young person is well, coping and functioning at their usual level.

What early warning signs begin to show when a young person is struggling.

What signs indicate when a young person is in crisis.

What some of the triggers or contributing factors might be for a crisis.

An action plan of what to do when the early warning signs are showing.

An action plan of what to do when in crisis

For a copy of a coping and crisis plan you can use with a young person click on the download below.

To watch a video of someone completing this coping and crisis plan with a young person click here: https://youtu.be/Ls8i391_aCc

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We help all those affected by domestic abuse by providing innovative and unique services. We work to ensure that victims are supported to recover and perpetrators are supported to change their behaviour.

Do you need support and advice or safe and secure accommodation?

We offer a confidential support service, simply call or email today:

If you are in an emergency situation

If it is unsafe for you to speak on the phone, after dialling 999 just press 55 for the silent solution.

You can also text 999.

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Text YM to 85258.

Provides free, 24/7 text support for young people across the UK experiencing a mental health crisis.

All texts are answered by trained volunteers, with support from experienced clinical supervisors.

Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus.

Texts can be anonymous, but if the volunteer believes you are at immediate risk of harm, they may share your details with people who can provide support.

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Get Urgent Help | Support If You're Struggling

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Text YM to 85258. Provides free, 24/7 text support for young people across the UK experiencing a mental health crisis. All texts are answered by trained volunteers, with support from experienced clinical supervisors. Texts are free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus.

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NHS Information on Mental Health Services

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NHS Information on Mental Health Services

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you are not able to speak to your local NHS urgent mental health helpline

you need help urgently for your mental health, but it's not an emergency

you're not sure what to do

111 will tell you the right place to get help if you need to see someone.

You may be able to speak to a nurse, or mental health nurse, over the phone.

A GP can advise you about helpful treatments and also help you access mental health services. You may be able to refer yourself to some services.

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Where to get urgent help for mental health

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You may need urgent help for mental health for many different reasons. Some people call it a crisis, an emergency or a breakdown. It's important to know that support is available, whatever you're going through.

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24/7

You can text us any time, day or night.

Confidential

Your messages with us are confidential and anonymous.

Free

It is free to text Shout from all major mobile networks in the UK.

Get involved

Donations doubled in the Big Give Christmas Challenge

Simply support Shout's Big Give campaign by midday on 5 December, and your donation will be doubled!

Can you help us hit our match funding target of £50,000 and support a further 5,000 people this winter?

Find out more

Get help

Ways to cope with upsetting events in the news

If you're feeling overwhelmed, anxious or sad about what's going on in the news, know that you're definitely not alone. Here are some actions we can take to help us cope better through times like this.

Find out more

I think Shout saved my life tonight... no one has ever made me feel so safe, listened to and understood

Shout texter

GET HELP

Online resources and support

However you're feeling right now, you don't have to face it alone. We're here to support you with your mental health.

Take a look at our resources, information and support, find further help or reach out to one of our volunteers.

Resources for you

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Shout - UK's 24/7 Crisis Text Service for Mental Health Support

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Shout 85258 is the UK's first 24/7 text service for anyone in crisis. Get free, confidential mental health support anytime, anywhere. Text 'SHOUT' to 85258.

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Samaritans works to make sure there's always someone there for anyone who needs someone. Read more.

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Sharing stories about various situations can put a child's mind at ease and make transitions and new experiences easier to cope with and more understandable. When a book might help is a list of story books suitable for this purpose.

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Sharing stories about various situations can put a child's mind at ease and make transitions and new experiences easier to cope with and more understandable. When a book might help is a list of story books suitable for this purpose.

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We work with young people, parents and carers, schools, colleges, universities and employers.

All our work is based on sound evidence. It gives people the confidence and skills to look after their mental health.

Charlie sits at the heart of our story, our vision and our purpose.

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Charlie Waller Trust, mental health charity

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We understand mental health. Our aim is to educate young people, & those with responsibility for them, about their mental health & wellbeing. The Charlie Waller Trust was created by the Waller family in 1997 in response to the loss of their son and brother Charlie to suicide having suffered from depression.

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Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families

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Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families

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We're a pioneering mental health charity transforming care for children and young people through science, collaboration and clinical innovation.

We focus on discovery, delivering compassionate support, and sharing our knowledge widely.

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We work with professionals to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Learn about our training, services, research and more.

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Provides evidenced based parenting programmes for parents and carers who have children aged 5-17 who:
1. Have a diagnosed Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
2. Have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
3. Are experiencing mild-moderate conduct disorder
4. Have behaviour that challenges
5. Are teenagers displaying anti-social behaviour including child to parent violence

We offer the following programmes with wrap-around support:
Cygnet (for ASC) Core programme, with additional supporting siblings and puberty, sexual health and relationships modules
The Parent Factor for ADHD
Family Links The Nurture Programme
Teen Positive Parenting Programme
Talking Teens

Parents and carers can self enrol on to a parenting programme or can be referred by a health, education or early help professional.

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Hampshire Specialist Parenting Support Service

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Provides evidenced based parenting programmes for parents and carers who have children aged 5-17 who: 1. Have a diagnosed Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) 2. Have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 3. Are experiencing mild-moderate conduct disorder 4. Have behaviour that challenges 5.

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About the service

Hampshire Healthy Families was launched in 2020 as a partnership between the Trust and Barnardos. The service is commissioned to support families, parents and carers of children aged from 0-19 years old and to deliver the Healthy Child Programme across Hampshire. This is done by providing access to Health Visitors and School Nurses as well as other services and regular courses to help support child development.

What we do

The Trust's Children and Family Services are split into specialist teams that focus on everything from vaccinations to healthy living advice. Take a look below for more information.

Health Visiting

Health visitors are all nurses or midwives who have completed additional training in public health, which includes child development. Health visitors lead the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme. This national programme consists of a series of developmental reviews, screening tests, vaccinations and information to support parents. Click here to find your local health visiting service.

You can also get support and advice from a Health Visitor by texting our ChatHealth service below.

School Age Immunisations

The School-Age Immunisation Service offers vaccinations to children (aged 4-16) across all Hampshire schools and children who are home educated. The team also work closely with teachers, school nurses and other health professionals to ensure young people receive their vaccinations at the right time. Visit the School Age Immunisations website for more information.

School Nursing

The School Nursing service works in partnership with children, young people and their families to ensure that pupil's health needs are supported within their school and their community. This includes those attending a school within Hampshire and those that are home educated (except Southampton and Portsmouth city schools).

Parents and young people can also get support and advice by texting our ChatHealth service below.

Family Nurse Partnership (FNP)

The Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is a voluntary programme usually offered to first time young parents aged 19 or under.

We know from research that a healthy pregnancy gives babies the best possible start in life. The relationship parents have with their babies right from the start is crucial for their future health and happiness.

Our family nurses' will provide you with information and support you to make decisions which:

Increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy

Help manage labour

Improve your child's development

Build a positive relationship with your baby and others

Help you plan for the future

Enable you to make lifestyle choices that will give your child the best possible start in life

Enable you to achieve your aspirations (such as finding a job or returning to education)

Research also shows that parents who take part in this programme are more likely to achieve what they want for themselves and their children.
What's involved?
Your family nurse will visit you every one or two weeks from the start of pregnancy until your child is at least one year. Home visits usually last about an hour.

You will share different ideas at each visit with your family nurse and decide together what topics to talk about. Your family nurse will help you develop new skills and make plans for a healthy, happy future for you and your baby.
Contact the Family Nurse Partnership
Email: fnpshft@southernhealth.nhs.uk

Tel: 0300 003 0338

Child Health Information Services (CHIS)

CHIS are responsible for all child health information records for children across Hampshire. The team also help to deliver information to parents around the time their child needs to be vaccinated.

You can find out more about the age they are given and the vaccinations required on the Child Health Information Service website.

ChatHealth 0-5

ChatHealth 0-5
ChatHealth 0-5 is a text messaging service set up to support parents, carers and families of under 5's in Hampshire.

The service is run by local health visitors who have a wealth of experience of working with mums and dads-to-be, babies, toddlers and young children.

The Health Visiting Team are able to support with questions from parents, carers and families relating to a wide range of health and wellbeing issues including crying babies, infant feeding, starting baby on solid foods, sleep and behaviour problems. As well as giving advice, the team can signpost to appropriate services and other support.

How to use it: Text the dedicated number 07520 615720.

Chathealth 11-19

Chathealth 11-19
The ChatHealth text service is an easy way for young people 11-19 to confidentially ask for help with a range of issues. The service is manned by qualified school nurses who have a wealth of experience of working with young people.

ChatHealth allows young people in Hampshire to text messages to a dedicated number 07507 332160; the messages are then delivered to a secure website. Once received, the school nurse will respond to the text within one working day.

ChatHealth is available Monday to Friday from 9am-4.30pm (excluding bank holidays). Any young person who texts the service outside of these hours will receive an automated message with advice of where to get help if their question is urgent.

The School Nursing Team are able to support young people with questions relating to a wide range of health and wellbeing issues including self-harm, relationships, bullying, weight, anxiety, drugs, smoking, stress, body worries, alcohol and sexual health. As well as giving advice, the team can signpost to appropriate services and other support.

Young people are still able to request to see a School Nurse face to face in school or a community setting.

How to use the service: Text the dedicated number 07507 332160

ChatHealth for parents of children and young people in Hampshire aged 5-19.

ChatHealth offers a simple, convenient & confidential text messaging service for parents of children and young people in Hampshire aged 5-19.

The ChatHealth advisor team is made up of school nurses working within Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust. These nurses all have extensive experience of working with and supporting parents of children and young people.

ChatHealth allows parents in Hampshire to text messages to a dedicated number 07507 332417; the messages are then delivered to a secure website. Once received, the school nurse will respond to the text within one working day.

ChatHealth is available 9 am - 4.30 pm on Monday to Thursday and 9 am - 4 pm on Fridays (excluding bank holidays). Any parent who texts the service outside of these hours will receive an automated message with advice of where to get help if their question is urgent.

The Team are able to can support parents with questions relating to a wide range of health and wellbeing issues including healthy lifestyles, toileting, behaviour, sleep, emotional wellbeing and health conditions. As well as giving advice, the team can signpost to appropriate services and other support.

Parents are still able to request to see a School Nurse face to face in school or receive support via a telephone call (with exception of private schools).

Children in Care

The Children in Care service works in close partnership with children, young people, their carers and local authorities to ensure that children and young people's health needs are supported whilst they remain in care and as care leavers.

If you live in care and away from home, you may want to speak confidentially to someone about your worries. The Children in Care Team can listen and help you to get further help and support.

What does the service provide?

Health assessments

Health advice and information for Children in Care

Support for children in care to attend health appointments

The team can also arranage for referals into other services such as; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Sexual health clinics, GP services and stop smoking services .

If you would like to speak to the Children in Care team, please call them on 02382 310475 or email admin-childrenincare@southernhealth.nhs.uk.

If you would like to read more about our integrated health and wellbeing service at Swanwick Lodge Children's Home in Southampton, click here.

How to find us

Children's Management Office, Tom Rudd Unit, Moorgreen Hospital, Botley Road, West End, Southampton, Hants, SO30 3JB

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Hampshire Healthy Families was launched in 2020 as a partnership between the Trust and Barnardos. The service is commissioned to support families, parents and carers of children aged from 0-19 years old and to deliver the Healthy Child Programme across Hampshire.

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Hampshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are an NHS service that aims to help young people up to the age of 18 who are finding it…

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We’re there for parents when they need us the most, because childhood can’t wait.

Making a difference in Hampshire

Number of Children Supported

Number of Families Supported

Volunteers Supporting Families

Number of Children Supported

Number of Families Supported

Volunteers Supporting Families

Volunteer Training

Home-Start Hampshire is a local charity supporting parents who are going through challenging times. Trained volunteers work alongside families to give compassionate and confidential support, tailored to each family. At the heart of Home-Start Hampshire is our...

Kenwood cookery project

Over the past six weeks we have been running a cookery course in the Havant. The parents on the cooking course have learnt to cook a selection of meals from scratch: soup, dog-in the-hole, bolognaise, curry, crumble and sponge-cake!  Many parents had no cooking...

Loves Labours Lost

Join Home-Start Hampshire for this Open Air Shakespeare Production at the stunning riverside location of Bucklers Hard performed by The Villagers Open Air Shakespeare Group . Pre play entertainment by Singing group Intersection.  Date: Sunday 17th July 2022...

Being a parent, whatever your situation, can be very challenging. Many parents feel exhausted and overwhelmed by the stresses of family life. For some parents it’s a particular struggle because they are also coping with issues such as post-natal depression, their or their child’s illness or disability, isolation or multiple births.

That’s when parents need support. That’s when Home-Start Hampshire can help.

A trained volunteer is carefully matched to a family, visiting regularly and offering emotional and practical support.

This support is a simple yet effective way of enabling families to get back on track.

Please take a moment to browse through the pages of this website to find out more about our service or how you could offer your support to the charity.

Maybe you could make a donation or hold a fundraising event on our behalf. Click here to find out more.

Looking for the news?  Please visit our news page

We work with you to build on your strength and give you the support you tell us you need.

By volunteering a few hours each week you can transform the lives of children and their parents in the community.

A child’s early years are the most important. Home-Start wants to make sure those years count. Can you help us?

Quick Navigation

You can use the buttons below to quickly locate information about this organisation. Click on a button to go to the relevant page.

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Family Information and Services Hub

Here you will find a range of useful web links, downloadable resources, and online videos on various issues and topics that may be able to provide you with the support that you need, or answer questions that you may have.

If you are seriously concerned about a child you should contact this number without delay: Childrens Services 0300 555 1384 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) - out of hours 0300 555 1373. If it's an emergency and a child is in immediate danger, call 999

To help you access support, talk to someone from any of the support services who is already in contact with your family. This might be a health visitor, teacher or a community worker. They will discuss your concerns and help you access the right support.

Our staff will be able to advise you on the most appropriate support dependent on the needs of your family.

Coronavirus Support
See Downloads on right of this page for Domestic Abuse support during Covid-19 pandemic
ORCHA assesses health apps for the NHS and they have launched a Covid-19 resource page where you can search for the best health and wellbeing apps available.

The Government has released helpful guidance on supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak . This provides detailed information about how different ages may react to the current situation and different support available.

Last Updated: 18 August 2023

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Family Information and Services Hub | Family Support

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Here you will find a range of useful web links, downloadable resources, and online videos on various issues and topics that may be able to provide you with the support that you need, or answer questions that you may have. If you are seriously concerned...

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Family Information and Services Hub

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Hampshire's Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities

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Latest News

Over 90% of families in Hampshire organise their own journeys to school. They walk, cycle, use public transport, lift-share with other families or take their child to school in the family car. Have a look at Hampshire County Council's Travel to school page for ideas and information. For a minority...

100% of school leaders believe that food and diet can affect cognitive function and children's learning progress, according to the latest survey results from HC3S, Hampshire's main school lunch provider. 90% of schools value HC3S as a partner in supporting nutrition at school, so find out more about how HC3S...

We would like to hear from young people in Hampshire about what you would like to see on this website. What information would be helpful for you that's not on here? What do you like about this website? What do you not like about this website? Any feedback...

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Last Updated: 23 June 2023

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Family Information and Services Hub | Hampshire's Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities

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Your Local Offer - Information and services available in Hampshire for children and young people (birth to 25) who have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) The Local Offer includes information about education, health, social care, preparation for adulthood, leisure services and impartial information advice and support....

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Central Government measures

Spotlighted Government support

Energy grants

Residents who are on income - related benefits or who have a gross household income of £30,000 a year or less could be eligible for free home improvements worth up to £10,000. Improvements could include solid and cavity wall insulation, loft and underfloor insulation, air source heat pumps and solar panels.

State Pension age and over

If you need frequent help with personal care, or someone to supervise you, attendance allowance can help. After application, you may be asked to attend a medical examination to show what help you need.

2022/23 weekly amount: There are two rates, low at £61.85 and high at £92.40.

Help with your living and housing costs if you're over State Pension age and on a low income.

If you get Pension Credit you can also get other help, such as:

Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in

support for mortgage interest if you own the property you live in

Council Tax reduction

a free TV licence if you're aged 75 or over

help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments

help with your heating costs.

Parental support

Are you a new parent or pregnant and on benefits?

If you're pregnant or have a baby under six months-old, and you or your partner are on certain benefits, you may qualify for a one-off £500 maternity grant. This doesn't have to be repaid. You may get more if you're having twins or triplets.

Check if your child qualifies for free school meals and the 'pupil premium'

If you're on means-tested benefits and on a low income, your child may qualify for free school meals.

County Council support

Hampshire County Council's connect4communities programme have received funding to further support children and their families, and pensioners over the summer months for necessities such as food and fuel

Debt assistance

Loan Sharks and loans

Always check that a loan will be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) before entering into one. If you're not sure, speak to Citizens Advice - they will be able to recommend the best safe loan options available to you.

If you think you have entered a contract with a loan shark (i.e. not authorised by the FCA), you can speak in confidence to the Illegal Money Lending Hotline on 0300 555 2222

Financial education and budgeting

There are plenty of free resources and courses to explore online, which apply to different ages and life stages on The Open University online:

Get started with the budgeting apps and tools to get a grip on your incomings and outgoings and see what can be cut or reduced. Citizens Advice budgeting advice

Tips and tricks

Citizens Advice useful links

Think creatively

Money Saving Expert has an extensive and creative list of money-saving ideas from checking your tax code to retail tips and sharing streaming costs with your neighbour. Start saving

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Tackling the cost of living crisis - Eastleigh Borough Council

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Central Government measures Residents who are on income - related benefits or who have a gross household income of £30,000 a year or less could be eligible for free home improvements worth up to £10,000. Improvements could include solid and cavity wall insulation, loft and underfloor insulation, air source heat pumps and solar panels.

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Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Barnardos are working together to deliver the Healthy Child Programme throughout Hampshire. This website provides details for access to health visiting and school nursing services, workshops for healthy eating and support with post-natal depression.

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April is international month of the military child Find out more here ENTER NOW our Through Our Eyes photo competition Find out more here Supporting all children of our British Armed Forces Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting all military children who have parent(s) serving in our British Armed Forces, regular or reserve.

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Supporting military families | NSPCC Learning

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An evaluation of three NSPCC early intervention services aiming to improve the wellbeing of families in the military community.

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SPP eligibility criteria

Pupils attract the SPP if they meet the following criteria:

one of their parents is serving in the regular armed forces

they have been registered as a 'service child' on the January school census at any point in the last 6 years, even if the parent has left the Armed Forces (Ever 6 service child measure this can be claimed for six years after leaving or until end of year 11 whichever is sooner)

one of their parents died whilst serving in the armed forces and the pupil receives a pension under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or the War Pensions Scheme

pupils with a parent who is on full commitment as part of the full time reserve service are classed as service children

The purpose of the Service Pupil Premium

Examples of how SPP has been used can be found in the Best Practice guide produced by the MOD.

How Service Pupil Premium differs from the Pupil Premium

The SPP is there for schools to provide mainly pastoral support for service children, whereas the Pupil Premium was introduced to raise attainment and accelerate progress within disadvantaged groups.

Schools should not combine SPP with the main Pupil Premium funding and the spending of each premium should be accounted for separately.

More information for teachers and school staff is available on GOV.UK or contact Defence Children's Services by email: RC-DCS-HQ-Comms@mod.gov.uk .

If you'd like to talk to someone in the RAF Families Federation, please email us at enquiries@raff-ff.org.uk or telephone the team on 01780 781650.

Support for Service children in the Devolved Nations

The devolved nations all support Service children in different ways - see our comparison table for an introduction.

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What is the Service Pupil Premium? The Department for Education introduced the Service Pupil Premium (SPP), which is applicable only in England, in April 2011 in recognition of the specific challenges children from Service families face and as part of the commitment to delivering the Armed Forces Covenant.

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Driving Change

We value you, your contribution and your opinions.

We take your feedback to those in positions of power - the Chain of Command, Government Ministers, other Government departments, local authorities and civilian service providers and it informs policy and decision making.

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Naval Families Federation | Royal Navy & Royal Marine Charity

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The NFF exists to give all current serving Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel and their families the information they need.

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Overview

We receive vast numbers of enquiries on the Service Pupil Premium and how schools help and support children through pastoral care.

On this page, you can find out more about what Service Pupil Premium is, who it is for and who can claim it.

01 What is the Service Pupil Premium (SPP)?

At AFF we receive a lot of questions about SPP and we are conscious that many people don't really know how this money is, or could be spent to benefit our children as well as knowing who to ask about it and what we can ask from our schools. Here is a handy list to remind you what SPP is all about.

SPP is money that is paid directly to state schools, free schools and academies across England for supporting Service children. The amount is £310 per child in Years R-11, increasing to £320 in 2022/2023.

The Premium was introduced by the Department for Education (DfE) as part of the commitment to delivering the Armed Forces Covenant. The premium enables schools to provide extra, mainly pastoral, support for children with parents in the Armed Forces.

This premium is for children of currently serving Service personnel, children of serving parents who are a member of the Full Time Reserve Service on Full Commitment and their role is deployable, for those who have had a Service parent who has died in Service and also those who have left including through injury for up to a maximum of six years.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have their own administrations and therefore have different arrangements. The funding in Northern Ireland is sourced differently and is applied for in October each year. This funding is also not for independent schools or for MOD Schools. For any enquiries about the funding in Northern Ireland, please contact the NI Education Support Officer at RC-AWS-N-38X-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk.

SPP is different from the Pupil Premium. Very few Service children are eligible for the Pupil Premium.

Schools decide how the money is to be spent on Service children mainly on pastoral support. Unlike the Pupil Premium, SPP is not for attainment; however, mobile Service children may need targeted help in a new school to catch up with their class.

Schools need to show how this money is spent, and OFSTED will check up on this. Different schools can and will spend the money in different ways; AFF has examples of best practice.

A child must have a formal dependency on the Service parent to be eligible for SPP.

If you home educate your child, you agree to take on the financial responsibility of them and therefore are not eligible for SPP.

If you have spoken to the Head Teacher because you have a concern about how the money is being spent and haven't received a satisfactory answer, then the best thing to do is to write to the Board of Governors.

SPP cannot be claimed retrospectively.

If your child was never registered for SPP whilst the parent was serving, and the Service person has now left the Services, then they will not be able to register your child now for the school to claim SPP.

What can you do?

In England, let your school know that you are a Service family so that this can be noted on the school census in October and enable the school to claim the Service Pupil Premium. See gov.uk/government/publications/the-service-pupil-premium/service-pupil-premium-examples-of-best-practice for examples of best practice.

If you have any further concerns or questions about SPP, email educationsupport@aff.org.uk
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02 Ideas on how the Service Pupil Premium can be spent

Are you worried about how your school spends SPP? Has your school asked for ideas on how to support Service children in school? Here is a list of 20 ideas from schools who claim this money.

Learning Support Assistant dedicated to the emotional wellbeing and academic achievement of Service children

Weekly pizza lunch day or café for children with a parent away

Reading Force materials

Teddy bear mascots like Sergeant Camopatch

Computer equipment for Imail INtouch club/skype chat time

Half-termly social events for parents and children

Website page for Service families

Themed visits and outings

Forces choir

Moving-schools support including 'My passport'

After school clubs including combat club, football club, or sports themed particularly to involve more role models for the children

Camera equipment for photographs

Rapid writing programme

Welcome films made by pupils

Deployment display boards

Still photo books and talking photo books

Memory boxes for children moving on

Homework support groups

Around the world assembly

Service children's base within school, with a bank of computers for scanning school work to email parents who are away and keep them in touch.

If you would like more information about any of the ideas that are listed here, contact AFF Education and Childcare Specialist at educationsupport@aff.org.uk
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03 House of Commons Library Briefing Paper

The House of Commons has produced a Library Briefing Paper on the Pupil Premium, including the Service Pupil Premium.

So, what is a Library Briefing Paper? The following quote is from the paper itself. It states: 'The House of Commons Library research service provides MPs and their staff with the impartial briefing and evidence base they need to do their work in scrutinising government, proposing legislation and supporting constituents.'

This particular one explains the history of the Service Pupil Premium, the differences between it and the Pupil Premium, and its purpose. There is also a section on school admissions for pupils eligible for the Service Pupil Premium.

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Service Pupil Premium - Army Families Federation

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We receive vast numbers of enquiries on the Service Pupil Premium and how schools help and support children through pastoral care. On this page, you can find out more about what Service Pupil Premium is, who it is for and who can claim it.

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NUCLEAR TEST VETERANS - THEIR SEARCH FOR JUSTICE

Between 1952 and 1967, more than 20,000 of our military personnel served as part of UK nuclear weapons testing in Australia, Fiji and other Pacific islands. An estimated 1500 of this group are still alive today.

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UK Armed Forces and military veterans charity

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We provide lifelong support to Service Personnel and Military Veterans with injuries, illnesses and wounds sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces.

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This section provides Service families with information about how the Covenant can help by removing disadvantages arising from Service life, or offering special provision if appropriate.

Some policies will apply to you and others will not. This section will direct you to the right place on GOV.UK and other trusted resources so that you can see what is available. Support services for military and defence personnel and their families: detailed information also provides several links to advice and sources of help.

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Service families - Armed Forces Covenant

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This section provides Service families with information about how the Covenant can help by removing disadvantages arising from Service life, or offering special provision if appropriate. Some policies will apply to you and others will not. This section will direct you to the right place on GOV.UK and other trusted resources so that you can see [...]

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Service Pupil Premium: what you need to know

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Service personnel with children (reception to year 11) in state schools in England should notify schools of their children’s service status to ensure they are recorded prior to the next autumn census (first Thursday in October) in order to qualify for Service pupil premium.

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Hamble Primary School Information about PP

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Hamble Primary School Information about PP

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If you need emergency food, want to make a food donation or are interested in volunteering, find your nearest Trussell Trust food bank using our map.

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Funding streams for schools with looked-after children and how to use them effectively

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This guidance is an overview of pupil premium for school staff, parents and anyone else interested in the pupil premium.

Purpose

The pupil premium grant is funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England. In the financial year 2023-24, pupil premium spending will increase to almost £2.9 billion.

We want to support all schools to use the wealth of evidence of 'what works', evaluated by the Education Endowment Foundation ( EEF), to use this funding effectively.

Eligible schools

The following types of school are eligible to receive an allocation of pupil premium.

Local authority-maintained schools

This includes:

mainstream infant, primary, middle, junior, secondary and all-through schools serving children in year groups reception to year 11

schools for children with special educational needs or disabilities

pupil referral units (PRUs), for children who do not go to a mainstream school

local authority-maintained hospital schools

Academies, free schools and non-maintained special schools

This includes:

mainstream academies serving children in year groups reception to year 11

academies and non-maintained special schools for children with special educational needs or disabilities

alternative provision (AP) academies, for children who do not go to a mainstream school

Pupil premium is also provided to local authorities for eligible pupils in independent special schools, where the local authority pays full tuition fees.

Pupil eligibility

The following groups are eligible for pupil premium:

pupils who are recorded as eligible for free school meals, or have been recorded as eligible in the past 6 years, including eligible children of families who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF)

children looked after by local authorities, referred to as looked-after children

children previously looked after by a local authority or other state care, referred to as previously looked-after children

Funding rates for financial year 2023-24

This table shows how the pupil premium grant is allocated to schools and local authorities in financial year 2023-24, based on per pupil rates.

Pupil eligibility criteria

Amount of funding for each primary-aged pupil per year

Amount of funding for each secondary-aged pupil per year

Funding is paid to

Pupils who are eligible for free school meals, or have been eligible in the past 6 years

£1,455

£1,035

School

Pupils previously looked after by a local authority or other state care

£2,530

£2,530

School

Children who are looked after by the local authority

£2,530

£2,530

Local authority

The government has permanently extended free school meal ( FSM) eligibility to include children in all households with NRPF. These pupils should now be recorded as FSM eligible in the school census and their pupil premium eligibility will follow on from that automatically.

From 1 April 2023, pupil premium eligibility for pupils who have been adopted from care or have left care will include children adopted from state care or equivalent from outside England and Wales.

Funding for looked-after children will be paid to the local authority and should be managed by the virtual school head in consultation with the child's school.

The pupil premium allocations and conditions of grant for financial year 2023-24 provide further information.

Payment schedule for financial year 2023-24

Payments will be sent to local authorities on:

30 June 2023

29 September 2023

29 December 2023

28 March 2024

Payments will be sent to academy trusts (and free schools) on:

Payments will be sent to non-maintained special schools in:

Service pupil premium

Service pupil premium is additional funding for schools with pupils who have parents serving in the armed forces. It has been combined into pupil premium payments to make it easier for schools to manage their spending.

Pupils in state-funded schools in England attract the service pupil premium grant, at the rate of £335 per eligible pupil in financial year 2023-24, if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

one of their parents is serving in the regular armed forces, including pupils with a parent who is on full commitment as part of the full-time reserve service - this includes pupils with a parent who is in the armed forces of another nation and is stationed in England

registered as a 'service child' on any school census in the past 6 years

one of their parents died while serving in the armed forces and the pupil receives a pension under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme or the War Pensions Scheme

This funding is primarily to enable schools to offer pastoral support and help mitigate the negative impact of family mobility or parental deployment. It can also be used to help improve the academic progress of eligible pupils if the school deems this to be a priority.

Funding paid to schools

To ensure that pupil premium is focused on effective approaches to raising the educational attainment of disadvantaged pupils, schools must use their pupil premium in line with the 'menu of approaches' set by the Department for Education.

The menu has been developed in line with the EEF 's 3-tiered approach to help school allocate spending across the following 3 areas:

supporting the high-quality teaching, such as staff professional development

providing targeted academic support, such as tutoring, including through the National Tutoring Programme

tackling non-academic barriers to academic success, such as difficulties in attendance, behaviour and social and emotional wellbeing

In line with the EEF 's recommended approach, schools should prioritise high-quality teaching, though the exact balance of spending between tiers will vary depending on the specific needs of pupils.

Pupil premium is not a personal budget for individual pupils, and schools do not have to spend pupil premium so that it solely benefits eligible pupils.

Pupil premium can be used to support other pupils with identified needs, such as pupils who have or have had a social worker, or pupils who act as a carer. It can also be used for whole class interventions, for example high-quality teaching, which will also benefit non-disadvantaged pupils.

High attaining eligible pupils should receive just as much focus as lower attaining eligible pupils when it comes to spending funding. Evidence shows that eligible pupils who are among the highest performers at key stage 2 are more likely than their non-eligible peers to fall behind by key stage 4.

Funding for looked-after children

Virtual school heads are responsible for managing the funding given to local authorities for the children in their care. They work with schools to ensure the funding is used to help deliver the outcomes identified in the children's personal education plans.

They can pass all the funding on to schools or retain some to fund activities that will benefit a group of, or all, the authority's looked-after children.

There is separate guidance about virtual school heads' responsibilities for using pupil premium.

Accountability

Schools must show how they are using their pupil premium effectively:

by publishing a statement on their website which presents an overview of their pupil premium strategy, and demonstrates that their use of the funding meets the requirements of the conditions of grant

through inspections by Ofsted - inspectors may discuss plans schools have to spend their pupil premium

through scrutiny of pupil premium plans by governors and trustees

Virtual school heads demonstrate to Ofsted how they are managing pupil premium for looked-after children in their virtual school annual report.

Schools are also held to account for the outcomes achieved by their disadvantaged pupils through published performance tables.

Further information

For more information, read the guidance for school leaders on using pupil premium and the EEF's guide to using pupil premium.

The allocations and conditions of grant show:

the funding given to each school

the totals at national, local authority and parliamentary constituency level

how pupil premium funding must be spent

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This guidance is an overview of pupil premium for school staff, parents and anyone else interested in the pupil premium. The pupil premium grant is funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England. In the financial year 2023-24, pupil premium spending will increase to almost £2.9 billion.

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Childhood Trauma and the Brain | UK Trauma Council

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The Window of Tolerance Animation by Beacon House

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Symptoms and Strategies for PTSD in Children and Teens

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Work through a self-help guide for PTSD and CPTSD based on Trauma-Focused Cognitive Therapy (TF-CT).

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Adverse Child Experiences **Trigger Warning**

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Adverse Child Experiences **Trigger Warning**

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All children and young people have difficult experiences sometimes. When this happens, they might feel more stressed or upset. But with a bit of support from those around them, they will usually feel better. However, when a child or young person experiences trauma, it can feel too big for their normal coping strategies.

If you're worried that your child or young person is struggling with trauma, remember that you can play an incredibly important role in helping them. By providing emotional support and a loving, safe relationship, you can help them to heal with time. You can also make sure they get the right professional support if they need it.

On this page, we've got information and advice to help you feel confident about supporting them.

A traumatic experience usually involves a threat to our sense of physical or emotional safety. We may also feel trapped, powerless or unsupported in the face of this threat.

Trauma describes both one-off events and things that happen over months or years - for example, within a young person's family or friend relationships. It can be something a young person experiences directly, or they might witness something happening to someone else.

These are some examples of things that a child or young person could find traumatic:

a violent event, such as an assault, car accident or natural disaster

experiencing racism, homophobia, transphobia or other forms of discrimination

experiencing domestic violence or abuse

being bullied

losing a family member or friend to suicide, or a sudden death in the family

going through a serious physical illness or time in hospital

being exposed to frightening or inappropriate online content

Ultimately, whether something is traumatic depends on how it makes an individual feel. There is no exact definition of the type of events that are traumatic. Our experiences of what happens to us can be affected by things like our life history, our perception of why it's happened, and the support available to us afterwards.

Trauma is not a mental health condition. But experiencing trauma can have long-term effects on someone's mental health. A wide range of mental health issues can be linked to trauma. This includes PTSD, anxiety, depression, OCD, eating disorders and self-harm.

Signs a child or young person is affected by trauma

Every child or young person's response to trauma will be different. They may show they're struggling straightaway. Or difficult feelings, thoughts and behaviours may emerge over time. Their reaction and how they cope might also change over time. For example, there may be times when things feel intensely difficult, and then they might feel better for a while.

This means it can be difficult to see the link between a previous traumatic experience and your child or young person's current behaviour. Sometimes they may not be aware of the link themselves.

In general, these are some of the things your child or young person may experience if they are struggling with trauma:

having thoughts or flashback images about the event or experience

finding it more difficult to manage their emotions, which can feel overwhelming

acting out or having angry outbursts

withdrawing from friends, family, school or activities they usually enjoy

avoiding thinking about, talking about, or being in situations which are related to the experience

seeming very sensitive or alert to what's happening around them

seeming zoned-out or disconnected from what's going on around them

finding it difficult to concentrate

not being able to sleep or having nightmares

turning to coping mechanisms such as self-harm, or using drugs or alcohol

blaming themselves, feeling guilty or struggling with their self-esteem

Some children and young people who go through trauma, experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If this is the case, they may experience some of the symptoms listed above intensely. They may also start to negatively affect their day-to-day life.

Some people experiencing these symptoms are diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). This diagnosis is often given when the traumatic experience has happened repeatedly over an extended period of time. This might include childhood trauma such as abuse or neglect.

If you are worried that your child or young person is experiencing PTSD or CPTSD, speak to a GP about getting an assessment and professional help. They will usually need professional support to feel better. You can find out more about getting help from GPs in our guide for parents and carers.

Supporting your child or young person to cope

It is normal for a child or young person to feel or behave differently after a traumatic experience. Remember that healing from trauma is a process.

It's important to give them time to adjust to what's happened, and not to expect things to get better straightaway. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on how they're doing, gently check-in with them and seek further help if it's needed.

Below, we've got some suggestions for things you can do as their parent or carer to make them feel safe and supported.

Helping them to make sense of what's happened and how they're feeling can make a difference. When they want to open up, let them speak as often and for as long as they need to. You can find advice to help you start a conversation with your child in our guide for parents and carers.

Reflect back the words they use to show that you get their experience. Don't be afraid of using words such as 'terrified', 'horrified', or 'furious' to show you understand how big their feelings are. You might also say 'it's really understandable that you're feeling...' to let them know that their feelings are okay.

You can find more advice about making your child or young person feel understood in our blog.

This can give them a break and help them to feel safe and relaxed, even if just for a little while. It might be:

drawing or colouring

making something like lego

playing sport

cooking or baking

watching a favourite film

Knowing what works, and trusting that they can help themselves, will build their belief in their ability to cope. This can make their feelings less overwhelming. Strategies could include:

running

drawing

listening to music

writing in a journal

talking to family or friends

watching a favourite film

reading a favourite book

They might want to make a self-soothe box. They can fill this with the things that help and use the box when they're struggling.

Young people tell us they want adults supporting them to:

know that everyone's experience is different, and it doesn't define who I am

recognise all of my needs and see me as a whole person

understand my behaviour - when I'm shouting, crying, hiding, stealing, hitting out at myself or others, I'm just trying to make sense of everything I've gone through

find a way to communicate that works for me

include me in decisions about my life - ask me what I want to happen

build on my strength and help me find new ways to recover

Finding professional support

Counsellors and therapists can provide emotional support and help your child to make sense of their feelings. They can also help them find ways of coping. With younger children, therapists will do this this through activities such as play and drawing.

It's a good idea to look for someone who has training and experience in treating trauma. They will be able to take a trauma-informed approach. You can find out how your child or young person can access counselling in our guide for parents and carers.

If your child or young person is struggling, be open with the school about what's going on and what support they need.

Depending on their age, it can be important to make sure they feel some control over the information that's shared about them. Ask them whether there's a member of staff who they would feel comfortable for you to speak to.

Alongside counselling, schools can often provide things like:

support from the pastoral team

mentoring

peer buddying

clubs and activities that can help your child feel more relaxed

If your child is feeling anxious about school at the moment, you can find information and advice in our guide for parents and carers.

If you're worried about your child's mental health, it's a good idea to speak to your GP. This is usually the first step to accessing mental health services through the NHS.

The GP can find out more about how your child or young person is feeling. They can suggest what might help and where they can find support. If needed, they can refer them to the NHS mental health service for children and young people, known as CAMHS. Through CAMHS they can get a specialist assessment and further treatment.

For more information about GPs, have a look at our guide for parents and carers.

Supporting a child or young person who has gone through trauma can be a very emotional experience. So take time to look after yourself and rest when you can.

Remember that in order to support your child, you need to keep looking after yourself. Talk to trusted friends, family and anyone else in your support network. It's okay to ask for help and to take time out when you need it.

If you feel that you need more support, you can ask for counselling or other support through your GP. You can also access a private counsellor or therapist if this is an affordable option for you.

Useful helplines and websites

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

This page was reviewed in October 2023. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with trauma. We will next review the page in 2026. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

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Trauma and Mental Health | Guide For Parents

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If your child is struggling with the effects of trauma we have advice to help you support them to heal, and to find the right professional help if needed.

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Our Mental Health Space - Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

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The Repair of Early Trauma: A Bottom Up Approach

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Sometimes in life we have experiences which we find hard to understand, adjust to or cope with. Any event or incident can be considered traumatic if it is very upsetting, scary, shocking or causes physical or emotional harm directly (to them) or indirectly (to someone else). As people cope and manage with situations differently, people will experience situations differently and will cope differently. There is no right or wrong way to respond to difficult, upsetting or frightening experiences.

It is understandable that after a difficult, upsetting or frightening experience people may experience difficulties or changes such as:

Intense and variable emotions such as swinging from feeling ok to feeling upset, angry, confused, on edge or anxious or even numb, and anywhere in between

Feeling physically unwell such as feeling sick, heart racing, breathing quicker

Having disrupted sleep not being able to get to sleep or stay asleep or sleeping too much

Losing their appetite

Changes to how sociable they are (not wanting to be around other people or not wanting to be on their own)

Finding it hard to concentrate on things and not being interested in stuff that you used to care about

All these things are understandable and normal when you've been through a really tough time. For most people these difficulties and changes will only last a few days or weeks. With love and support from those around you, you will adjust and cope.

For some people, having a difficult experience can be very traumatic. A person may experience trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a single traumatic (upsetting or frightening) incident or many traumatic events. People who are experiencing trauma may experience symptoms such as:

flashbacks (this is when a person may feel or act as though a traumatic event is happening again)

nightmares

anxiety and feeling 'on edge'

up and down emotions (such as feeling tearful, irritable or numb)

These symptoms often last many weeks or months and can really impact on how people cope every day. Activities like going to school, seeing friends and even sleeping and eating are affected. If you are experiencing symptoms like these and they have lasted longer than a month, it might be a good idea to get some help.

It is important to remember that not everyone who experiences a difficult or traumatic event will experience psychological trauma (or PTSD) and that it is normal to feel upset and struggle to cope after a difficult or upsetting event.

It is important to remember that everyone copes with things differently. If you are struggling to cope after a traumatic event, it is important to let someone know and get help, support and advice. Talk to someone you trust such as a parent, carer, teacher or your GP.

There are many strategies and techniques to help you cope with flashbacks and anxiety. Visit the Young Minds Anxiety Webpage website and check the anxiety help section on this website.

Some people find it helpful to keep a log of when they experience trauma symptoms (such as flashbacks) to notice if there are patterns or triggers (things or situations that are more likely to make a flashback happen). If you notice patterns or triggers, this might help you to make a plan of how to manage these situations if they come up.

Having hobbies and interests and spending time with friends can be really helpful when you are experiencing symptoms of trauma as they can be a good distraction. Try to plan regular time to do activities and see friends.

Symptoms and Strategies for PTSD in Children and Teens - credit AnxietyBC

Things Not To Say To Someone Who Has Been Sexually Abused

Adverse Childhood Experiences

Symptoms and Strategies for PTSD in Children and Teens - credit AnxietyBC

Things Not To Say To Someone Who Has Been Sexually Abused

Adverse Childhood Experiences

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Sometimes in life we have experiences which we find hard to understand, adjust to or cope with. Any event or incident can be considered traumatic if it is very upsetting, scary, shocking or causes physical or emotional harm directly (to them) or indirectly (to someone else).

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What is trauma?

Trauma is an emotional response to an event that is deeply frightening or distressing. It happens when a person feels so overwhelmed by difficult emotions - such as fear or anxiety, that their mind can't make sense of it. These emotions stay with the person and can influence the way they feel in the future. For example, a loud noise might remind someone of a previous frightening experience such as a car crash, causing them to experience it as scarier and more overwhelming than it would normally be.

Acute trauma can occur if a person was exposed to one traumatic event. Chronic trauma can occur when a traumatic experience has continued over a period of time. Complex trauma can occur when someone has experienced many different traumatising events.
Trauma in childhood
Traumatic events in childhood might include, for example, being involved in an accident or natural disaster. Or they could include experiences of abuse and neglect or witnessing violence.

Things that are frightening or traumatising for an adult are likely to be even more traumatising for a child. This is because the young child's limited experience of the world and their developmental stage means they are not yet fully able to understand what's happening to them or why.

Having a trusted adult around (ideally an attachment figure) can really help a child cope with frightening events. This is why the experience of abuse or neglect by a caregiver is always traumatising - the child is both traumatised by the abuse, and then again by that trauma being caused by someone they should be able to trust.

The experience of chronic and complex trauma in early life can have a lasting impact on an individual's development and personality. However, with the right help, young children can be supported to make sense of distressing experiences, and any negative impact of these experiences on their life chances can be reduced.

What are the signs of traumatic stress in children?

The most important thing to recognise when supporting a child who has experienced trauma is that the changes to their behaviour are normal and understandable reactions, which communicate that they need help to manage their feelings.

Children will react differently to different experiences, depending on their age and their individual personalities and experiences up to that point. But you will find that some of the behaviours listed below are seen in all babies and children. In thinking whether the behaviour could be linked to trauma, it is important to consider how persistent it is, and what else is going on for the child.
Babies
Babies are likely to show feelings of distress in a physical way, for example: persistent crying, which cannot be soothed by their caregiver

A baby might also become rigid, arch their back arch, squirm or look unfocussed, in an attempt to physically escape feelings of distress

They might struggle with settling to sleep, or with feeding or playing

They could have persistent hiccups or vomit

When completely overwhelmed, infants may try to cope by cutting off from their feelings and the world. They might avoid eye contact and interactions with caregivers, or stare at lights or other objects for long periods. They might show a limited range of emotions.
Toddlers and young children
Toddlers and young children are able to express their feelings more directly than babies, but they may still experience and show their distress in a physical way. Behaviours include:

An increase in crying, fearfulness or clinginess with or when separating from caregivers (this is sometimes called 'separation anxiety')

Going 'backwards' in their development, for example in toilet training, speech, or self-soothing behaviours like thumb sucking

Being more aggressive towards caregivers, peers or other adults

Not being able to concentrate

Complaining of physical symptoms such as headaches and stomach-aches

Becoming preoccupied with thoughts and memories of traumatic events. Some children may express how they are feeling through play, perhaps by repeatedly re-enacting traumatic events or overwhelming feelings such as anger, fear or helplessness.

Trauma in the context of the health crisis

The current health crisis may cause and exacerbate trauma in a number of ways. Babies and young children may experience the sudden death of a loved one (See also: Bereavement). During periods of lockdown and social distancing, they are likely to be more at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect.

Strategies to support children and families

It's painful for adults to think about children in distress, and the temptation can be to avoid or ignore these feelings in the hope that they will go away. But without support, children are left alone with difficult feelings which could continue to influence how they see the world.

Babies can't talk about, or reflect on feelings, or tell us directly about traumatic events. What babies need most is for caregivers to support them with the impact of their experiences in the "here and now":
Take the baby's experience seriously.
Having an adult who is attentive to feelings and who wants to help, even when it is unpleasant or confusing, will help offset the negative impact of traumatic experiences.
Pay close attention.
A baby who stiffens or diverts their eyes when cuddled might need another source of comfort, such as a soft voice. Watching closely and carefully for these signals will enable you to respond sensitively and help the baby manage their feelings.

Put it into words.

It's never too early to voice what you think a baby might be feeling. Although they may not understand what you are saying, this will help them feel understood, especially when you use a warm, gentle and reassuring tone of voice.
Toddlers and young children
Like babies, young children need help managing their feelings in the moment. However, once a child starts using words and play to represent the world, it is possible to begin helping them acknowledge and explore their feelings through play, stories or even talking about what happened to them. Crucially, how this is done depends on the child's developmental stage, and must always be led by the child:
Show that you are interested
Listen, and show the child you are interested in making sense of their communications and experiences, even if you can't understand everything straight away.
Ensure they feel comfortable to talk about it
Let them know that they can talk about their feelings, including scary or upsetting things that have happened to them, whenever they want.
Talk about your own feelings to show them how it's done
Lead by example, by talking openly about your own feelings - but remember to stay calm, so the child does not feel they need to look after you.
Help them put names to their feelings
Help name feelings in simple language, such as being 'cross' or being 'worried'. Some children may be able to name, draw or describe their emotions, such as feeling like an 'exploding volcano' when angry.
Suggest they think about the 'physical effects' of their feelings
Encourage children to think about how feelings are felt in the body. For example, some children get tummy aches when they are worried. Remember this will be different for each child, so it's important to ask, not tell.
Let them know their feelings and behaviour are normal
Reassure children that their feelings or behaviour, which might feel confusing or scary, are normal reactions to difficult events.
Help with their understanding of a confusing event, in an age appropriate way
It is crucial to protect children from information or details that would frighten or overwhelm them. That said, children can be left confused about certain traumatic events, and sometimes they might tend to blame themselves. So, at times, giving a clear, age-appropriate explanation can be enormously helpful.
Don't push children if they don't feel ready
Go at the child's pace. While it's fine to ask about past events, or check in about feelings, it's not helpful to push children to talk or think about things before they are ready.
Prevent a child from feeling overwhelmed or unsafe when exploring their feelings
Help children feel safe when talking or playing about difficult experiences. Becoming extremely upset or overwhelmed reinforces the sense that these feelings are unmanageable. If this happens, take a break and let the child know it's your job to keep them safe, and to work out the best way to help them. You can find tips on when and how to seek help below.

When and how to seek help

It isn't easy to support a baby or young child who has experienced trauma. Witnessing children struggling with overwhelming feelings can be upsetting and scary for the adults who are caring for them. Adults often worry they will get something wrong and may need help managing their own feelings. There is never a bad time to get help, but it is especially important to seek support if the child's upset feelings and behaviour seem to be getting worse over time, or if the signs of stress and trauma last for a month or more.

If you are concerned about a child at any time following a traumatic event or experience, consult your GP for help and support. If problems continue, your GP may suggest extra help from the local child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS).

Tips to share with parents

Where appropriate, the following tips can be shared with parents:

Reassure your children that it is normal to feel frightened or angry after scary things happen.

Try to put into words what you think your baby or young child might be feeling - it's never too early to do this, even with very little babies, especially when you use a warm, gentle and reassuring tone of voice.

Let them know that they can talk about their feelings, including scary or upsetting things that have happened to them, whenever they want.

You can show them it's OK to talk about feelings by doing it yourself - but remember to stay calm, so the child does not feel they need to look after you.

Try to help children understand what happened to them. Children can be confused about traumatic events and can blame themselves. Try to give simple explanations but avoid any details that might be upsetting or frightening.

Go at the child's pace - if they don't seem ready to talk, that's OK.
Useful links: UK Trauma Council Child Trauma Academy
National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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How to deal with Childhood Trauma | Early Years in Mind | Anna Freud Centre

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Trauma is an emotional response to an event that is deeply frightening or distressing and can affect babies, infants and young children in ways they might not be able to communicate. Find out more.

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Friendship | What Is Friendship? | Friendship Hub | The Mix

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The Mix's guide to friendship. We ask what is friendship and what makes a good friend? Find out what to do when you fall out with, or fancy, a mate & more.

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The importance of friendships for your mental health

Friends can help you with your mental health in lots of different ways. They might check in with how you are feeling, or simply make you laugh with the best TikToks. They might also help you by:

When friends help and support you, they can boost your self-esteem, make you feel good, and remind you that you are loved for who you are. They can help you to look after your mental health.

Advice from young people like you

Our Activists and other young people like you, share how their friends have helped them with their mental health.

Talking to friends about mental health

Talking to a friend about your mental health is one of the first steps on the road to feeling better. But sometimes, this can feel quite scary. You might not know what to say, or you might be nervous about sharing how you are feeling. That's okay! Here are some tips that can help:

Pick a good time when you won't get interrupted and find a quiet space to chat.

Explain how you are feeling.

Be clear about what you want shared. You may not want other friends to know yet, and that's okay. Let your friend know that you are not ready to share with others. However, if your friend is worried that you aren't safe, they will need to tell a trusted adult.

Remember: Good friends will want to be there for you so you don't have to struggle alone. For more tips, have a look at our page on reaching out for help.

It is normal to feel nervous or uncomfortable when it comes to talking about your mental health. This can make you feel like it is not something you want to do, but talking about your mental health with the people you trust is often the first step to feeling better.

If you are struggling with a friendship

Throughout our lives, we might struggle with our friendships. We might argue with friends, no longer speak to friends we were once close to, or we might lose some friendships. You might struggle with a friend because:

one of you moves away, making it difficult to keep in touch

your friend makes new friends that you do not feel comfortable around

you might be left out of the friendship group

you meet new friends and aren't able to spend as much time with your old friend as you used to

one of you might be struggling with your mental health, meaning that you/your friend might be withdrawn and not keeping in touch as much

your friend might not understand how you are feeling or what you are going through - this can make it difficult to chat to your friends, or make it feel like they aren't taking your feelings seriously

you are making the effort to see your friend and stay in touch but they aren't making the effort back

they often ask you for advice and it feels like a lot of responsibility that you are struggling to manage

We might have arguments with friends, and sometimes fall out, but often you can get through those difficult moments together. You or your friend may not have realised how each other were feeling or understood what either of you were going through.

By talking things through and explaining how you both feel, you can both learn to better understand how you can support each other. Overcoming these tough times together can sometimes help make your friendship stronger.

Coping with the loss of a friendship

In some situations, however, your friendship might come to an end. You may have tried to work through an argument and it hasn't worked out, or they may have not been very nice to you.

Friendships can come to a natural end too. There might not be a specific reason, but you might no longer keep in touch. Sometimes people grow apart and that's okay.

When friendships come to an end, it can be really tough. Friends are there through the highs and lows - they can be like our chosen family, meaning that it can feel tough to move on - but things can get better over time.

If someone close to you passes away, it can be extremely difficult. Jacob shares how he coped with the death of his best friend and Nia shares advice on how she coped with losing a friendship.

If you have lost a friend, our page has advice if you're finding it hard to cope.

When I lost my best friend to suicide at 16 years old, I had panic attacks and walked out of lessons at college, flooded in oceans of guilt and upset.

I went from being a very hard-working media student to not caring. I became very distant and didn't put much effort into my work.

I reached out to my GP who was very useful in supporting me. I found a counsellor, which has been a lifesaver for me in getting me back on my feet and learning how to manage my grief while keeping the memories of my friend alive.

Jacob's story: Coping with the death of my best friend

Over the years of hurting and healing, I have unfortunately learnt that there is no magic cure for dealing with the loss of a friendship. You can't ambush a heart into healing or speeding up the process, but the days get less painful and in my experience, you will come through the other side.

Take time for yourself. Don't try and replace them. Learn what it was that you valued in that friendship. Figure out what it is that you feel like you are missing without them. This will help you to look for it in future.

Cherish those friends who are currently around you, hold onto the memories you've made and trust the process.

Nia's story: How to cope with the loss of a friendship

Tips and advice from our Activists

Our Activists share their tips on what to do if you're struggling with a friendship.

Understanding when a friendship is unhealthy

While occasional arguments or disagreements can be normal between friends, there are times when friendships can become unhealthy and affect you in a negative way. This can be things like:

your friends pressuring you to do something you feel uncomfortable with, like taking drugs or drinking alcohol

when jokes or banter become hurtful and disrespectful

you are constantly arguing and falling out

they continue to ask you for help when you have told them you are unable to

they make you feel guilty

they make you feel uncomfortable when spending time with different friends and make you feel like you have to choose between them

they bully you

the friendship feels 'one-sided', where they ask a lot of you but you don't feel like they support you in return

they isolate you from a group on purpose, making you feel lonely

Sometimes, friends might do these things unintentionally or without realising, or they might continue to do them after you've asked them to stop. Ultimately, it's about how you feel about the friendship.

Show/hide caption

Artwork by @thetypewriterdaily. An open sketchbook shows a drawing that represents releasing what isn't for you. The left-hand page shows a hand releasing grey colours from its palm. The right-hand page shows a hand receiving a rainbow into its palm. The text reads, 'release what isn't for you so you can receive what is - Mansi.'

If you're finding a friendship difficult

If you're finding a friendship difficult, you might want to talk to that friend about how they have been treating you. You might be nervous about talking to them, or worried about how they will react. Childline have some tips on how you can talk to your friend and be assertive to explain how you feel.

If your friend is constantly asking you for help but you're not sure what to say, it can make you feel stressed or anxious. Our page on how to support a friend with their mental health has tips on how you can set boundaries and look after your mental health, which you may find helpful.

When a friendship becomes unhealthy, it can impact other areas of your life and how you think and feel. It can make you feel down or anxious, or might lower your self-esteem and how you feel around other people. If you feel like this, it's important that you are able to get help. Even when you disagree with friends, you still deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.

You are confused, the world seems scary, and it feels like everyone else fits in and you don't. As if they all have the rule book to life which you forgot to pick up.

Right now, fitting in seems so, so important. But understanding friendships seems impossible and people are just really hard work! Growing up is hard. I know people say this a lot, but it really is true.

I know it feels like nobody gets you - you feel like an outsider looking in. You feel like an alien, born onto the wrong planet and in some ways, I guess you are. But actually, being different isn't a bad thing.

Coping with peer pressure

It's normal for people to compare themselves to their friends and peers, and often the influence of your friends can have a positive role in shaping your identity. Sometimes though, the influence of your friends and peers can be a cause of stress.

If you feel like you're being pressured by friends or peers into doing something that you don't want to do, this is called peer pressure. For example, you might feel pressured to take drugs or drink alcohol, to take dangerous risks when driving, or to have sex before you feel ready. If you are in a situation like this, it's important to say how you feel and that you don't want to take part. If your friends keep trying to get you to take part, speak to a trusted adult about how you are feeling. You need to make sure you are safe, so if you do feel at risk, you should reach out to professional services.

Seek out good friendships

You may worry that by not doing something that your friends are doing, you will be left out, or it will damage your friendship.

But remember, a good friend won't pressure you to do anything you're not comfortable with.

You deserve to have friends that accept your decisions and make you feel as though your feelings are valid.

Below are some tips to help you cope with peer pressure. Rose, 20, also shares her advice in our blog.

Real stories about friendship from young people

Get help now

If you are struggling with a friend and not sure who to talk to, there are people who will help you get through this. Here are some organisations that can provide you with support.

Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If you are in crisis right now and want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

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Friends | Tips and Advice about Friendships

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Friends can be a source of mental health support. But sometimes, you might find you're not getting along. Our page has tips and advice that can help you.

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Friends and friendships are great when things are going well, but life can feel pretty miserable and stressful when there are arguments and fallings out.

Managing arguments

Treat others the way you'd like to be treated. If you wouldn't want a picture posted or comment made online or face to face, then think twice about posting or saying anything that might embarrass, upset or annoy someone else.

It's ok to have a difference of opinion but treat each other with respect and dignity when talking about differences.

Remember that just because someone might look happy, they might be having a hard time at home, school/college or in their personal life. Be kind, always.

If you have said or done something which has caused offence or upset, start with an apology. We all make mistakes from time to time, so forgive yourself then ask for forgiveness from the person who is upset.

Friendships take effort to build and maintain on both parts. Make time for the people you care about. Try to connect with friends face to face rather than always on social media. Let your friends know that you are there for them and you care about them.

Worried about a friend

If you are worried about a friend and feel they are struggling with their emotional or mental health, there are several things you can do;

Encourage them to tell a parent/carer, teacher, trusted adult or professional helpline.

Encourage them to get information or advice from this website.

If your friend is unwilling to tell an adult and you are still worried, make sure you tell an adult.

Let your friend know you are there for them. No one will expect you to 'fix' the problems or have the answers, but being kind, accepting that your friend might not be their usual self, and not expecting too much from them, are some helpful things you can do.

Loneliness

Lots of young people feel lonely and isolated. It's not always easy to make friends or feel like you fit in.

Childline have some useful tips on how to overcome feeling lonely on their website - click here.

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Friends and friendships are great when things are going well, but life can feel pretty miserable and stressful when there are arguments and fallings out. Treat others the way you'd like to be treated. If you wouldn't want a picture posted or comment made online or face to face, then think twice about posting or saying anything that might embarrass, upset or annoy someone else.

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How to support a young person with an eating difficulty

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How to support a young person with an eating difficulty

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Struggling with an eating disorder? Caring for someone who is? Beat is here to support you.

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Connecting people, food and science, for better nutrition and healthier lives. We work with experts across the nutrition and food community to provide impartial, evidence-based information, education and expertise, motivating people to adopt healthy, sustainable diets - for life.

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Connecting people, food and science, for better nutrition and healthier lives. We work with experts across the nutrition and food community to provide impartial, evidence-based information, education and expertise, motivating people to adopt healthy, sustainable diets - for life.

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Award-winning tools and support for

Our aim

To guide you towards happy mealtimes and healthy children.

Watch our video

How we can help

We have created this resource to share evidence-based information, tips and tools with parents and professionals to help establish healthy eating in children.
See how it works

Who we are

We are a group of academic psychologists who specialise in children's eating behaviour and parenting at mealtimes. Importantly, we are also mums.
Meet the team

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Award-winning tools and support to make mealtimes with children easier | Child Feeding Guide

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Effective strategies and information to tackle fussy eating and create happy mealtimes

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An eating disorder is a serious mental illness that involves a person developing thoughts, feelings and eating behaviour which can take over a person's life and make them very unwell. Eating disorders can involve eating too much or too little and becoming really unhappy, worried and preoccupied with things such as weight and shape. It's important to remember that lots of people worry about what they look like and from time to time might be unhappy with their weight or shape, but for someone with an eating disorder these thoughts and feelings can have a serious impact on their life. It can impact on physical health, education and general daily living, such as hanging out with friends, spending time with family, going out and taking part in activities.

There is no one cause of an eating disorder. Young people who develop eating difficulties and disorders often tell us that eating or not eating can be a way of coping with feelings of sadness, worry and stress. Sometimes life stressors such as exams, bullying, friendship or family relationship difficulties and bereavement or loss may play a part in how someone copes or feels about themselves. There are also some personal factors such as having low self-esteem, experiencing anxiety or depression, setting high standards and being perfectionistic and identifying as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transsexual) are sometimes associated with people who develop eating disorders. However, experiencing any one of these things does not necessarily mean that someone will develop an eating disorder or difficulty.

There are many different types of eating disorders and all of them are serious. All eating disorders are treatable and a full recovery is possible. It is important to notice that you might be having a difficulty and ask for help and advice as soon as possible.

Here are some signs that there might be a problem and it's time to get help;

Constant thinking or worrying about food, calories, weight gain or your shape. You might notice that it is hard to concentrate on other things.

Reducing your food in order to lose weight and setting yourself strict rules about what you can or cannot eat.

Trying to do other things to lose weight, such as lots of exercise, vomiting taking laxatives (medication to help you go to the toilet) or slimming pills.

You might become tired and more emotional (tearful, irritable).

If you're a girl, your periods might stop.

Other people might start noticing and commenting that they are worried about you

Not everyone who has an eating disorder will experience all the signs and symptoms. Also, if you are experiencing some of these signs and symptoms this does necessarily mean that you have an eating disorder, but it is important to get help and advice.

There are a number of workbooks and self-help materials you might useful:

What's eating you? A Workbook for Teens with Anorexia, Bulimia, and Other Eating Disorders by Tammy Nelson

Getting Over Overeating for Teens: A Workbook to Transform Your Relationship with Food Using CBT, Mindfulness, and Intuitive Eating by Andrea Watcher

Body Image Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help Girls Develop a Healthy Body Image in an Image-Obsessed World by Julia Taylor

Self-Esteem Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You Build Confidence and Achieve Your Goals by Lisa Scab

What is an eating disorder?

Meet the team at Hampshire Specialist Eating Disorder Service

Is there a link between social media and eating difficulties?

A Glimpse of Hope - credit Hampshire Cultural Trust and ICE Project

Social Media, Food and Me

What Not To Say To Someone With An Eating Disorder

Beat eating disorders: Sufferers - credit Beat

What is an eating disorder?

Meet the team at Hampshire Specialist Eating Disorder Service

Is there a link between social media and eating difficulties?

A Glimpse of Hope - credit Hampshire Cultural Trust and ICE Project

Social Media, Food and Me

What Not To Say To Someone With An Eating Disorder

Beat eating disorders: Sufferers - credit Beat

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An eating disorder is a serious mental illness that involves a person developing thoughts, feelings and eating behaviour which can take over a person's life and make them very unwell. Eating disorders can involve eating too much or too little and becoming really unhappy, worried and preoccupied with things such as weight and shape.

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Make a change today! Discover healthy recipes, food swaps, nutritional advice, and top tips and activities to help the whole family stay healthy.

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NHS advice about healthy living, including eating a balanced diet, healthy weight, exercise, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol.

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TADIC Eastleigh Youth Counselling Service

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TADIC Eastleigh Youth Counselling Service

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Service Description

Counselling can give you the opportunity to talk about any worries, concerns or difficulties and the service is free and confidential for those aged 11 to 19.

At EYCS the counsellors are specially trained to listen and support you through tough times. They can help you work at the changes you want to make. All EYCS counsellors are members of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).

Counselling is an opportunity to talk through concerns and difficulties with someone who has undergone professional training to be able to provide a confidential, non judgmental environment where you can explore any issues in a way that feels right for you. Below are some issues that might be explored in therapy:

-Low self-esteem, Depression, Anger

-Drugs and/or alcohol problems

-Bereavement, Anxiety, Stress, Confusion

-Family conflicts, Relationship issues

-Loneliness, Bullying, Eating problems

-Abuse

Sometimes the problem is less clear and you may feel low, confused, overwhelmed and life can become difficult with a sense of unease. This can lead to not feeling able to cope, causing increased worry which may be unsettling. Our first meeting will be an assessment, which we can use to discuss what you need from counselling. Once we have met and agreed to work together, we'll arrange to meet regularly over a number of weeks or months.

Across Eastleigh Borough

Counselling/Therapy

11-19 years

One to One

Wednesdays 3:00pm - 6:00pm

Clinic; In the community

Website: http://eycs.co.uk/

Email: tadic@btinternet.com
Back to results

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TADIC Eastleigh Youth Counselling Service | Youth Counselling/Therapy in Across Eastleigh Borough | Youth Wellbeing Directory

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Service Description Counselling can give you the opportunity to talk about any worries, concerns or difficulties and the service is free and confidential for those aged 11 to 19. At EYCS the counsellors are specially trained to listen and support you through tough times. They can help you work at the changes you want to make.

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Young Person Counselling | Eastleigh Youth Counselling Service

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Eastleigh Youth Counselling Service (EYCS) offers free, confidential & non-judgemental counselling for 11 - 19 year olds.

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Counselling is an opportunity to talk to someone in confidence, about anything that is worrying you. This could be about home life, school, college, relationships or just about how you are feeling about yourself.

It's for when you have things going on in your life that you find hard to talk about with people who are close to you.
Counselling is an appointment with the same counsellor every week, who will listen to you and help you explore how you are feeling. You decide if you would like counselling and how long you would like counselling for.
Our trained counsellors are friendly and welcoming and won't make judgements about you or your problems. Your counsellor will never tell you what to do.

We want to make sure our service is excellent and meets the needs of the children and young people who use it.

We ask for feedback from both children and young people, and from professionals. We review all the feedback we receive so that we can ensure that our service is continually improving, relevant and giving you what you need.

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Counselling is an opportunity to talk to someone in confidence, about anything that is worrying you. This could be about home life, school, college, relationships or just about how you are feeling about yourself. It's for when you have things going on in your life that you find hard to talk about with people who are close to you.

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Information from Hampshire County Council

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Information from Hampshire County Council

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Counselling is a type of ''talking therapy'' and sometimes the term is used to refer to talking therapies in general.

Counselling allows a person to talk openly in a safe and confidential environment. Counsellors are trained to listen and help people to deal with negative thoughts, feelings, challenges and problems.

Counsellors can help with a range of issues including anxiety, depression, bereavement, self-esteem, relationships and life changes.

For parents and carers, it can be an opportunity to talk through their feelings related to their child's diagnosis, concerns for the future or a time to discuss ways through challenging situations.

For young people, counselling can give them a safe time to talk through things that are worrying them, how they feel about their diagnosis or perhaps even help them to make sense of the challenges that they may face in their lives.

Families may find that counselling allows them space to think about possible solutions, resolutions or ways of working together when challenges arise.

Different types of counselling are often given different names and this can be a little confusing.

Counselling can work in a range of different ways so the therapist should work to find a method that suits the client and makes the sessions beneficial.

Some therapists are trained in more than one method, so might combine these during the sessions.

You may hear terms such as ''Cognitive Behavioural Therapies'' (CBT), ''Mindfulness'' and ''Life Coaching'' mentioned when talking about ways in which counsellors work - there is more information on these and other talking therapies here

A young person's school/college or your GP should be able to help you access counselling services in your local area or you might want to search for counsellors yourself.

Many GP surgeries provide talking therapies but if yours doesn't then the GP may refer you to a local service. This factsheet on mental health issues looks at the services that are available across Hampshire.

Additionally, your GP might refer a young person to the local CAMHS service if they offer counselling, and might put carers in touch with a local carers' organisation if there is one. It is also possible to self-refer to CAMHS if you felt that your son/daughter may benefit from their support.

Some schools have therapists working alongside the teaching staff and often sessions take place in familiar surroundings, making some young people feel more at ease.

For some young people technology can provide an alternative way of accessing counselling/ therapy as they may find it easier to talk to someone on a website or through an app.

Before using any online service it is important that parents/ carers are able to check out the site and the qualifications of the counsellors.

Young Minds have a dedicated area, on their website, for young people. There is a lot of information about feelings and emotions as well as the chance to read about other people's journeys.

The Mix aims to take on the embarrassing problems, weird questions, and please-don't-make-me-say-it-out-loud thoughts that people under 25 have in order to give them the best support through digital and phone services.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BCAP) has an excellent website that provides lots of information on types of therapy, how to access support and what happens at a therapy session.

The first counselling session will probably focus on finding out what you want to work through, what you would like to achieve from the sessions and the way that the therapist works. The therapist might suggest different methods that may be helpful.

You will be given time to ask questions.

Counselling sessions are built upon a relationship of trust between the client and counsellor. They are not there to judge the young person/carer or their family but simply to help them work through their concerns and create a plan for moving forward.

It is important that the client feels comfortable with the counsellor as this will allow the sessions to be as successful as possible.

The following websites can help with finding therapists in your local area:

Counselling Directory was set up by a team who know how difficult it can be to find support. Through their own experiences of mental health issues, they have learnt how important having relevant information is and how the right support can help transform lives. Their team is passionate about counselling and we want to promote the huge benefits talk therapy can have. Their website is a confidential service that encourages those in need to seek help and to connect individuals with qualified counsellors in the UK. The site contains information on the common reasons people turn to counselling, as well as articles, news, and events.

The Hampshire Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (HACP) aims to put people and Counsellors / Psychotherapists in touch with each other.

There are a number of helpful links on the right of this page, which includes organisations that mightbe helpful for you:

Young Minds is the UK's leading charity committed to improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people.

Relate - the UK's largest provider of relationship support

Youth Access - YIACS provide a holistic response to young people's social, emotional and mental health needs through a range of services provided 'under one roof', including social welfare advice, advocacy, counselling, health clinics, community education and personal support.

Off the Record - a free, confidential and friendly service, offering information, support and counselling for young people in South Hampshire.

CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Hampshire

italk is a FREE service for people suffering from depression and anxiety

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Counselling | Family Information and Services Hub

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Some young people with additional needs and/or their families find that speaking to someone about their concerns or how they are feeling can be extremely helpful. Trained counsellors can help people to talk about their experiences and hopefully start to make sense of them. They can also help to find…

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Options

Assessment

Assessments of special guardianship and adoptive families involve carers, parents and children being seen by two clinicians in individual and joint sessions. These assessments are multi disciplinary (the clinicians being from different training backgrounds and/or being supported and supervised by the multidisciplinary team).

Assessments e xplore the child's attachment experience s and current relationships. These can include use of specialist assessment tools such as story stem assessments (for children aged 4-9), or Child Attachment Interview, which give the clinicians, carers , parents and relevant members of the network detailed information about the child's attachment patterns and can inform therapy plans and approaches.

Clinical psychologists in the team can undertake assessment of children and young people's cognitive functioning if a possible learning difficulty or disability is identified.

We recommend that if a child or young person is seriously self-harming or experiencing suicidal thoughts that might put them at risk, their needs will be more safely met within a CAMHS setting where there is psychiatric oversight . We may therefore r edirect enquiries that include these concerns to local NHS services.

Packages of therapy are recommended based on the needs identified in specialist assessments. This almost always includes carers/parents, as well as children and young people. Therapy is influenced by mentalization based approaches and can include:

Until the end of the financial year 2021 to 2022 , the A doption Support Fund (ASF) cover up to £ 2,500 per child per year for specialist assessment . To make an application for ASF, please speak with your allocated Social Worker who will be able to make the application on your behalf. The majority of applications to the fund fall within these limits. In exceptional cases, where there is an urgent need for higher cost support, LAs or RAAs are asked to match-fund applications.

To make a referral, please complete our online referral form: https://forms.office.com/r/vt3WA2t811.

We accept referrals directly from parents, or through a third party such as healthcare professionals, social workers, or GPs (family doctors).

Therapy (family therapy, play therapy, psychotherapy)

The Family Trauma team offers the following specialisms and interventions to work with these families:

The cost per appointment for therapeutic work in the Family Trauma team is £150 per appointment.

To make a referral, please complete our online referral form: https://forms.office.com/r/vt3WA2t811.

We accept referrals directly from parents, or through a third party such as healthcare professionals, social workers, or GPs (family doctors).

Mentalization Based Treatments for Children (MBT-C) in collaboration with ChAPTRe

Mentalization Based Treatment with Children ( MBT-C may also suitable for children with traumatic experiences or children who have experienced loss.

'Mentalisation' is a psychological term that refers to the ability to recognise and understand our own thoughts, feelings, intentions and behaviours, those of others, and the interaction between the two. Children with a high capacity to mentalise are generally better able to manage their feelings and behaviour. The aim of MBT-C is to:

Help carers develop further their child's mentalising capacity

Therapeutic work takes place with the whole family together, with child individually (through play, art and talking) and with the child's carers individually. Pa

We have found MBT-C to be a particularly helpful approach when working with children who have experienced early relational trauma and who are having difficulties post-adoption. T he flexibility of the approach, the focus on emotion regulation and attachment , the support that is put in place for the parent, and the way the therapy with the child can use play, making it less dependent on verbal exchanges where children find this difficult, all make it a particularly good 'fit' for this group. Within the Family Trauma Team we offer MBT-C following an initial assessment , where both the family and clinician agree that i t would be of benefit.

Until the end of the financial year 2021 to 2022 the ASF will have 2 fair access limits:

The majority of applications to the fund fall within these limits. In exceptional cases, where there is an urgent need for higher cost support, LAs or RAAs are asked to match-fund applications.

To make a referral, please complete our online referral form: https://forms.office.com/r/vt3WA2t811.

We accept referrals directly from parents, or through a third party such as healthcare professionals, social workers, or GPs (family doctors).

Nurturing Change: a national therapeutic service

Nurturing Change is a national therapeutic service offering specialist support to foster and kinship carers, adoptive parents and special guardians and their children between 0-6 years.

Nurturing Change is particularly suitable for young children who have had a difficult start in life, to prevent the emergence of more serious difficulties.

We support foster and kinship carers, adoptive parents and special guardians where:

The child is aged between 0-6 years

The parent or carer and child live anywhere in the UK

The child is living with the parent or carer

The child has been living with this parent or carer for any amount of time

The person(s) with parental responsibility is aware of and agrees to the referral

For more details, please visit Nurturing Change.

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Special guardianship and adoption | Anna Freud Centre

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The team has developed expertise in mentalization-based work with children and families affected by developmental trauma. Our work with adoptive and special guardianship families involves parents/carers as well as children and young people and whole families as we aim to improve the child's experience in their relationships with parents and carers, as well as in their wider families and schools.

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Children in care | Children’s Commissioner for England

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Supporting the wellbeing and aspirations of children in care, and supporting care leavers to achieve their full potential.

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Introduction

A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a looked after child.

Looked after children are also often referred to as children in care, a term which many children and young people prefer.
> Find out more about language and children in care in our Why language matters blog
There are many thousands of children in care in the UK and the overall numbers have been increasing over the past decade.
> Read our Children in care: statistics briefing to find out more about the range of data available
Many children in care have experienced abuse, neglect or other forms of trauma.

It's important that children in care are provided with the care and support they need to be healthy and safe, have the same opportunities as their peers and move successfully into adulthood.

Types of care

Each UK nation has a slightly different definition of a looked after child and follows its own legislation, policy and guidance. But in general, looked after children are:

living with foster parents/carers

living with friends or relatives, through kinship foster care

living in a residential children's home

living in residential settings like schools, secure units or semi-independent living accommodation.

Scotland's definition also includes children under a supervision requirement order. This means that many of the looked after children in Scotland are still living at home, but with regular contact from social services.

A child stops being 'looked after' when they are adopted, return home or turn 18. However local authorities in all the nations of the UK are required to support children leaving care at 18 until they are at least 21. This may involve them continuing to live with their foster family.

Not all children in the care of someone other than their parents have 'looked after' status. For example, they may be in private kinship care or cared for under a special guardianship order.

Private kinship care is an arrangement made directly between the parent(s) and the relative, friend or connected person, without the involvement of the local authority.

Special guardianship is when a local authority places a child or young person to live with someone other than their parent(s) on a long-term basis. It aims to provide more security than long-term fostering for children where adoption is not the best option. Special guardianship orders are not available in Scotland.

Reasons children are in care

There are a variety of reasons why children and young people enter care.

Children's services may have intervened because they felt the child was at significant risk of harm. If this is the case the child is usually the subject of a court-made legal order.

The child's parents might have agreed to this - for example, if they are too unwell to look after their child or if their child has a disability and needs respite care.

The child could have been lost, abandoned or there may be no one with parental responsibility available to care for them; as is the case for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

The child may have been charged with a criminal offence and temporarily placed on remand in the care of the local authority.

Impact of being a child in care

Children in care come from a range of different backgrounds and have varied experiences of care. Each child has their own different and specific sets of needs. However, research can give us an insight into how their experiences before and during care makes them a particularly vulnerable group of young people.
> Find out what data is available about looked after children in our statistics briefing
Previous experiences of abuse and other forms of trauma

Many children who enter care have been abused, neglected or experienced other forms of trauma. For example, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have often experienced trauma in their home country or during their journey to the UK.

These experiences can leave children with complex emotional and mental health needs, which can increase their vulnerability to abuse.,

Separation and estrangement from family and friends

Relationships between family members including siblings are among many children's most enduring and significant relationships. However, contact with the care system can lead to separation and estrangement from siblings for many children., ,

Events such as moving to a new home, new area or new school can also significantly disrupt friendships and other support networks.

"I moved schools when I went into foster care, and I don't fit in at all. I've got no friends, no one will sit with me in lessons. I just spend lunchtime in the toilets crying. I don't feel like I can tell my foster carers how depressed I'm feeling, I don't want to mess this up."
Childline counselling session with a girl aged 16
Placement unsuitability and instability

There is a lack of suitable homes available for children in care. This means children sometimes end up staying in placements which are unable to meet all their needs.

Many children move repeatedly in and out of care, or between placements. Placement breakdowns can have a detrimental impact on a child's emotional wellbeing and mental health. It can also prevent them forming stable relationships with the adults who could help protect them.

Peer violence and abuse

Many children in care have previous experiences of violence, abuse or neglect. This can lead to them displaying challenging behaviour and having problems forming secure relationships. Some find it hard to develop positive peer relationships. The care system can struggle to provide effective management and interventions to address these problems.

Going missing

Children may run away from care for all sorts of reasons. These include:

wanting to return home to their family

being unhappy or bored in their care placement

feeling like they didn't have enough control over their own lives.

"I'm struggling to deal with my mum not turning up to meet-ups. Each time it happens I feel convinced I'll never see my family again. I end up having panic attacks and running away from placement to cope. Then I get punished for running. My social worker is understanding but I need better ways to cope."

Childline counselling session with a boy aged 13
Children who go missing from care are at greater risk of physical abuse, grooming and sexual exploitation.
> Find out more about protecting children from trafficking and modern slavery
Children can also go missing from care as a consequence of exploitation. Evidence suggests young people living in children's homes are sometimes specifically targeted for exploitation; and children who have been trafficked into the UK often go missing within days or weeks of being taken into care due to the ongoing power their traffickers hold over them.

Comparisons with other groups of children

Research suggests that when children in care are compared with children who have not been in care, they tend to have poorer outcomes in a number of areas such as educational attainment and mental and physical health.
> Read our briefing on what data and statistics are available about children in care
However, this is not necessarily the case when they are compared with other groups of children who are likely to have had similar experiences, such as children in need. One study, which analysed Government data, found that looked after children who were continuously in care in England had better educational attainment than children in need.

References

Demazure, G., Baeyens, C. and Pinsault, N. (2021) Bazalgette, L., Rahilly, T. and Trevelyan, G. (2015) Luke, N. et al. (2014) Independent Care Review (2020) Jones, C. and Henderson, G. (2017) Jones, C., Henderson, G. and Woods, R. (2019) Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) (2022) Rahilly, T. and Hendry, E. (eds) (2014) Bazalgette, L., Rahilly, T. and Trevelyan, G. (2015) All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults and All Party Parliamentary Group for Looked after Children and Care Leavers (2012) Rahilly, T. and Hendry, E. (eds) (2014) Sebba, J. et al (2015) Review: unaccompanied refugee minors' perception of mental health services and professionals: a systematic review of qualitative studies. London: Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Achieving emotional wellbeing for looked after children: a whole system approach. [London]: NSPCC.
What works in preventing and treating poor mental health in looked after children? London: NSPCC.
The Promise. [Accessed 17/10/2023].
Supporting sibling relationships of children in permanent fostering and adoptive families. Glasgow: University of Strathclyde.
Relative strangers: sibling estrangements experiences by children in out-of-home care and moving towards permanence. Children and Youth Services Review, 103 pp. 226-235
Children's social care market study final report. London: CMA
Promoting the wellbeing of children in care: messages from research. London: NSPCC.
Achieving emotional wellbeing for looked after children: a whole system approach. [London]: NSPCC.
Report from the joint inquiry into children who go missing from care. [Accessed 06/02/2024].
Promoting the wellbeing of children in care: messages from research. London: NSPCC.
The educational progress of looked after children in England: linking care and educational data (PDF). Oxford: Rees Centre.

Intersectionality

Taking an intersectional approach

Children in care, like all children, have diverse identities. As well as experiencing prejudice or bias related to being in care, they might experience challenges relating to other parts of their identity, such as:

ethnicity

sexuality

gender

disability

mental health

where they live, how much money they have and how much access they have to education.

The way these challenges interact is known as intersectionality.

For example, research found that while on average care-experienced children had much more youth justice involvement than non-care-experienced children, care-experienced Black and Mixed ethnicity children had even higher levels of involvement.

It can be difficult for children to cope with this, and it can have a negative impact on their welfare.

"I'm really missing my mum at the moment. I want to see her, but she doesn't want to see me just yet. She couldn't cope with my disabilities and got angry with my autism. My foster family are supportive and always try to make sure I'm ok, but I get anxious when I try to say how I'm feeling."
Childline counselling session with a girl aged 12 > Listen to our podcast episode on intersectionality in social work practice
Learning for practitioners: understanding the child

When you're working with a child, consider all the factors that might influence their safety and wellbeing. Take the time to get to know them, understand their lived experience and how they might face risks due to how others might perceive their identity.

You could consider creating safe spaces for children who have similar identities or come from the same community. This might help them talk about their experiences and get peer support.

Find out more about:

Supporting children in care

Providing children in and on the edge of care with the support they need, when they need it, can help them to achieve their potential.

Deciding whether a child should enter care

Delays in decision-making can prolong children's experiences of abuse and neglect. This means that when they do enter care they can experience greater degrees of difficulty, and the specialist services they require are less likely to have an impact.

Our Infant and Family Teams (IFT) service helps social workers and judges decide whether a child on a care plan should stay with their birth family or enter care permanently.

The IFT bring together specialists in infant mental health and social care and works with a family over a 9- to 15-month period to help reunite the child with their family where possible or place them permanently into care if not.
> Find out more about the work of the Infant and Family Teams
Children on the edge of care

Our publication Promoting the wellbeing of children in care identifies ways to better safeguard children on the edge of care:

improving understanding of how to identify damaging situations

improving decision making about when it is in a child's best interests to enter care ensuring that decisions are well planned and taken in a timely fashion.

Achieving these aims requires:

greater use of multi-agency approaches to assessment and support for children and families on the edge of care

revised training for social workers and other practitioners to ensure an improved understanding of:

child development

the identification of risk and protective factors

parental capacity to change

improvements in undergraduate and post-qualification training to ensure that social workers and other professionals are also able to develop a better understanding of the impact of care and effective interventions

greater effort to ensure stability for children and young people on the edge of care and following their entry to care.

> Read the Promoting the wellbeing of children in care report via our library catalogue
Deciding on the right placement for the child

Every child in care has their own individual strengths and needs. To identify the right placement requires effective assessment, planning and a willingness to listen to the voice of the child and their family.

Deciding on the best available placement is key to achieving stability and permanence and can have an important impact on the outcomes for the child.

Supporting children in care

Providing a secure, caring environment can help looked after children overcome their early life experiences.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to support the children in their care and every local area should have a range of support available to meet their children's needs.

NSPCC research has identified five priorities for change to improve the emotional and mental health of looked after children.

Embed an emphasis on emotional wellbeing throughout the system. Professionals working in the care system need the skills and knowledge to understand how they can support the emotional wellbeing of looked after children and young people.

Take a proactive and preventative approach. Support for looked after children should begin with a thorough assessment of their emotional and mental health needs.

Give children and young people voice and influence. Looked after children and young people need more opportunities to identify what is important to them and influence their own care.

Support and sustain children's relationships. Children's carers require training and support to be sensitive, understanding and resilient.

Support care leavers' emotional needs. Help young people identify and strengthen their support networks.

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online or read about living in care on the Childline website. You can also download Childline posters.

Feelings of isolation and loneliness can affect any child or young person, but those in care can be particularly at susceptible. The NSPCC's Building Connections programme is an online service for young people up to the age of 19, empowering them to find a way through loneliness.
> Find out more about how Building Connections can help
Supporting the birth family

It's important for professionals to support the child's birth family, to address the problems which resulted in the child entering care. In time, many children can return home to their family but even if this is not possible their birth family are still likely to be a central part of their lives.

The quality of contact a child has with their birth family can have an impact on their wellbeing, so it's important to support children to have safe, positive contact with their birth families if it is in the child's best interests.

References

Davies, C. and Ward, H. (2012) Rahilly, T. and Hendry, E. (eds) (2014) Research in Practice (RiP) (2014) Bazalgette, L., Rahilly, T. and Trevelyan, G. (2015) Bazalgette, L., Rahilly, T. and Trevelyan, G. (2015) Safeguarding children across services: messages from research. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Promoting the wellbeing of children in care: messages from research. London: NSPCC.
Fostering and adoption: placement stability and permanence. [Accessed 20/11/2023].
Achieving emotional wellbeing for looked after children: a whole system approach. [London]: NSPCC.
Achieving emotional wellbeing for looked after children: a whole system approach. [London]: NSPCC.

Children and young people leaving care

Children and young people leaving care

Returning a child home from care

For many children, returning home from care is the best possible outcome. But research shows that for others this can result in further abuse or neglect.

Many children end up back in care, and a significant number move back and forth between care and their family. Other children remain at home despite continuing abuse or neglect.

There are a number of ways to improve a child's experience of returning home from care:

Assessing the needs of the family so support can be tailored and in place before and after a child returns home.

Assessing the risks the family could pose to their child, how much they are able to change and their ability to protect their child from harm. The assessment should consider the family's history as well as the current situation.

Working with the child and their family to help strengthen their relationship.

Agreeing with the parents, in writing, what needs to happen before and after their child returns home.

Providing tailored support and services for the child and their family before and after the return home for a minimum period of 6 months (as recommended in the NSPCC Reunification Framework). This should include support from foster/residential carers, the child's school, and friends.

Returning the child home gradually, and putting in place plans for what will happen if the return is not going well.

Monitoring how the child and their family are doing.

Reunification practice framework

Our Reunification practice framework, created in partnership with University of Bristol, supports practitioners and managers to apply structured professional judgement to decisions about whether and how a child should return home from care.

The framework also helps families and workers to understand what needs to change, to set goals, access support and services and review progress.
> Find out more about the Reunification practice framework
Supporting care leavers

For some looked after children, leaving the care system can be a challenging time.

In all nations of the UK, children leaving care at 18 are entitled to support from their local authority until they are at least 21. England and Wales are governed by the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and there is separate legislation for Scotland (Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014) and Northern Ireland (The Children (Leaving Care) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002).

For some children this will mean staying on with their foster carers. For others alternative accommodation options will be required.

Local authorities across the UK have a duty to assess and meet care leavers' individual needs and to develop a pathway plan, setting out the support that will be provided to the care leaver once they have left care. This should include making sure the care leaver has somewhere suitable to live.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, care leavers are also legally entitled to a personal adviser to help with the transition.

Legislation, policy and guidance

Legislation, policy and guidance

There is legislation and guidance in each nation of the UK that sets out how the child protection system works and what agencies' responsibilities are to children and families who need support.

Find out more about the child protection system in:

There is specific legislation, policy and guidance relating to children in care and care leavers.

Key legislation

England and Wales

The Children Act 1989 underpins the way the care system works in England and Wales.

The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 introduced new duties in England and Wales around putting in place plans to promote the wellbeing of looked after children after they cease to be in care.

The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 introduced reforms to the care system in England and Wales. These included:

making it explicit that placement with a parent is the preferred option, followed by kinship care

extending local authority duties to children leaving care, including those over 21 who return to education or training

requiring children's services to arrange for looked after children to have an independent visitor where it is considered in the child's best interests.

England

The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced a number of changes to the care system in England including:

introducing 'fostering for adoption' to allow approved adopters to foster children while they wait for court approval to adopt

setting a 26-week limit for care proceedings

establishing 'staying put' arrangements to enable young people to continue living with their foster carers if they wish until the age of 21

replacing residence and contact orders with child arrangement orders, which specify where a child is to live and who they are to spend time with.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 introduced further reforms relating to looked after children, including:

setting out seven corporate parenting principles around local authorities' responsibilities towards looked after children

requiring local authorities to publish a 'local offer' for care leavers, and provide care leavers with a personal advisor up to the age of 25

requiring courts to consider the impact of harm on children and their current and future needs when making decisions about long term placements.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 sets out the duties, powers and responsibilities of local authorities regarding looked after children.

The Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 set out how arrangements should be made for fostering a child privately.

The Children (Leaving Care) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 sets out Health and Social Care Trusts' responsibilities for young people leaving care, including:

the duty to assess and meet young people's individual needs

providing personal advisers and develop pathway planning for young people up to the age of 21 (or beyond if continuing in education)

The Children (Leaving Care) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 provides more detail on assessing and meeting the needs of young people preparing to leave care and care leavers.

Scotland

The Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984 sets out provisions for foster care in Scotland.

In Scotland, the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 sets out the duties, powers and responsibilities local authorities hold in respect of looked after children and care leavers.

The Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 introduces:

provisions about care planning, fostering, kinship care and emergency measures

clarity on when a child can be classed as 'looked after' but still live with their parents.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 introduces reforms, including:

setting out the law on corporate parenting

the provision of aftercare to young people leaving care on or after their 16th birthday

making it clear that a young person who is looked after in foster, kinship or residential care is eligible to continuing care in their current placement until they turn 21.

Wales

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 covers local authorities' duties to children in their care, and family and friends' care. It includes a requirement to support for children and young people leaving care which is equivalent to the support a non-care-experienced child might reasonably expect from their parents.

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (Wales) Regulations 2015 set out the responsibilities of local authorities to plan looked after children's care.

The Care Leavers (Wales) Regulations 2015 make provision about the support to be provided to young people who are no longer looked after by a local authority.

Strategy and policy

England

ensure strong, loving relationships for care-experienced children

increase the number of local, high-quality, stable and loving homes

strengthen and extend corporate parenting responsibilities across the public sector

improve education, employment and training outcomes for children in care

increase suitable accommodation for care leavers and reduce homelessness

reduce disparities in mental and physical health outcomes and improve wellbeing.

Northern Ireland

Scotland

Wales

The Programme for government 2021 to 2026 sets out the Welsh Government's current priorities, including a commitment to, "explore radical reform of current services for children looked after and care leavers". This commitment was built on in the Declaration of radical reform for children and young people's care, developed by Welsh Minsters with Young Ambassadors representing the care experienced community, which sets out the steps needed to promote the rights and wellbeing of children in care.

Key guidance

England

Statutory guidance and regulations have been issued under the Children Act 1989 including:

Northern Ireland

Scotland

Part 10 (aftercare) and Part 11 (continuing care) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 both have published guidance to explain the provisions.

Guidance on the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 and the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 clarifies local authorities' duties.

Wales

Children missing from care guidance

Looked after children are more likely to go missing than other children and are at greater risk of harm if they do.

The guidance each of the four nations has published includes:

Care leavers guidance

With outcomes for care leavers consistently poorer than for non-care-experienced young people, all four nations in the UK provide support for care leavers.

In addition to the above key legislation and guidance, the following documents are also useful for practitioners:

Introduction

A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a looked after child.

Looked after children are also often referred to as children in care, a term which many children and young people prefer.
> Find out more about language and children in care in our Why language matters blog
There are many thousands of children in care in the UK and the overall numbers have been increasing over the past decade.
> Read our Children in care: statistics briefing to find out more about the range of data available
Many children in care have experienced abuse, neglect or other forms of trauma.

It's important that children in care are provided with the care and support they need to be healthy and safe, have the same opportunities as their peers and move successfully into adulthood.

Types of care

Each UK nation has a slightly different definition of a looked after child and follows its own legislation, policy and guidance. But in general, looked after children are:

living with foster parents/carers

living with friends or relatives, through kinship foster care

living in a residential children's home

living in residential settings like schools, secure units or semi-independent living accommodation.

Scotland's definition also includes children under a supervision requirement order. This means that many of the looked after children in Scotland are still living at home, but with regular contact from social services.

A child stops being 'looked after' when they are adopted, return home or turn 18. However local authorities in all the nations of the UK are required to support children leaving care at 18 until they are at least 21. This may involve them continuing to live with their foster family.

Not all children in the care of someone other than their parents have 'looked after' status. For example, they may be in private kinship care or cared for under a special guardianship order.

Private kinship care is an arrangement made directly between the parent(s) and the relative, friend or connected person, without the involvement of the local authority.

Special guardianship is when a local authority places a child or young person to live with someone other than their parent(s) on a long-term basis. It aims to provide more security than long-term fostering for children where adoption is not the best option. Special guardianship orders are not available in Scotland.

Reasons children are in care

There are a variety of reasons why children and young people enter care.

Children's services may have intervened because they felt the child was at significant risk of harm. If this is the case the child is usually the subject of a court-made legal order.

The child's parents might have agreed to this - for example, if they are too unwell to look after their child or if their child has a disability and needs respite care.

The child could have been lost, abandoned or there may be no one with parental responsibility available to care for them; as is the case for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.

The child may have been charged with a criminal offence and temporarily placed on remand in the care of the local authority.

Impact of being a child in care

Children in care come from a range of different backgrounds and have varied experiences of care. Each child has their own different and specific sets of needs. However, research can give us an insight into how their experiences before and during care makes them a particularly vulnerable group of young people.
> Find out what data is available about looked after children in our statistics briefing
Previous experiences of abuse and other forms of trauma

Many children who enter care have been abused, neglected or experienced other forms of trauma. For example, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have often experienced trauma in their home country or during their journey to the UK.

These experiences can leave children with complex emotional and mental health needs, which can increase their vulnerability to abuse.,

Separation and estrangement from family and friends

Relationships between family members including siblings are among many children's most enduring and significant relationships. However, contact with the care system can lead to separation and estrangement from siblings for many children., ,

Events such as moving to a new home, new area or new school can also significantly disrupt friendships and other support networks.

"I moved schools when I went into foster care, and I don't fit in at all. I've got no friends, no one will sit with me in lessons. I just spend lunchtime in the toilets crying. I don't feel like I can tell my foster carers how depressed I'm feeling, I don't want to mess this up."
Childline counselling session with a girl aged 16
Placement unsuitability and instability

There is a lack of suitable homes available for children in care. This means children sometimes end up staying in placements which are unable to meet all their needs.

Many children move repeatedly in and out of care, or between placements. Placement breakdowns can have a detrimental impact on a child's emotional wellbeing and mental health. It can also prevent them forming stable relationships with the adults who could help protect them.

Peer violence and abuse

Many children in care have previous experiences of violence, abuse or neglect. This can lead to them displaying challenging behaviour and having problems forming secure relationships. Some find it hard to develop positive peer relationships. The care system can struggle to provide effective management and interventions to address these problems.

Going missing

Children may run away from care for all sorts of reasons. These include:

wanting to return home to their family

being unhappy or bored in their care placement

feeling like they didn't have enough control over their own lives.

"I'm struggling to deal with my mum not turning up to meet-ups. Each time it happens I feel convinced I'll never see my family again. I end up having panic attacks and running away from placement to cope. Then I get punished for running. My social worker is understanding but I need better ways to cope."

Childline counselling session with a boy aged 13
Children who go missing from care are at greater risk of physical abuse, grooming and sexual exploitation.
> Find out more about protecting children from trafficking and modern slavery
Children can also go missing from care as a consequence of exploitation. Evidence suggests young people living in children's homes are sometimes specifically targeted for exploitation; and children who have been trafficked into the UK often go missing within days or weeks of being taken into care due to the ongoing power their traffickers hold over them.

Comparisons with other groups of children

Research suggests that when children in care are compared with children who have not been in care, they tend to have poorer outcomes in a number of areas such as educational attainment and mental and physical health.
> Read our briefing on what data and statistics are available about children in care
However, this is not necessarily the case when they are compared with other groups of children who are likely to have had similar experiences, such as children in need. One study, which analysed Government data, found that looked after children who were continuously in care in England had better educational attainment than children in need.

References

Demazure, G., Baeyens, C. and Pinsault, N. (2021) Bazalgette, L., Rahilly, T. and Trevelyan, G. (2015) Luke, N. et al. (2014) Independent Care Review (2020) Jones, C. and Henderson, G. (2017) Jones, C., Henderson, G. and Woods, R. (2019) Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) (2022) Rahilly, T. and Hendry, E. (eds) (2014) Bazalgette, L., Rahilly, T. and Trevelyan, G. (2015) All Party Parliamentary Group for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults and All Party Parliamentary Group for Looked after Children and Care Leavers (2012) Rahilly, T. and Hendry, E. (eds) (2014) Sebba, J. et al (2015) Review: unaccompanied refugee minors' perception of mental health services and professionals: a systematic review of qualitative studies. London: Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Achieving emotional wellbeing for looked after children: a whole system approach. [London]: NSPCC.
What works in preventing and treating poor mental health in looked after children? London: NSPCC.
The Promise. [Accessed 17/10/2023].
Supporting sibling relationships of children in permanent fostering and adoptive families. Glasgow: University of Strathclyde.
Relative strangers: sibling estrangements experiences by children in out-of-home care and moving towards permanence. Children and Youth Services Review, 103 pp. 226-235
Children's social care market study final report. London: CMA
Promoting the wellbeing of children in care: messages from research. London: NSPCC.
Achieving emotional wellbeing for looked after children: a whole system approach. [London]: NSPCC.
Report from the joint inquiry into children who go missing from care. [Accessed 06/02/2024].
Promoting the wellbeing of children in care: messages from research. London: NSPCC.
The educational progress of looked after children in England: linking care and educational data (PDF). Oxford: Rees Centre.

Intersectionality

Taking an intersectional approach

Children in care, like all children, have diverse identities. As well as experiencing prejudice or bias related to being in care, they might experience challenges relating to other parts of their identity, such as:

ethnicity

sexuality

gender

disability

mental health

where they live, how much money they have and how much access they have to education.

The way these challenges interact is known as intersectionality.

For example, research found that while on average care-experienced children had much more youth justice involvement than non-care-experienced children, care-experienced Black and Mixed ethnicity children had even higher levels of involvement.

It can be difficult for children to cope with this, and it can have a negative impact on their welfare.

"I'm really missing my mum at the moment. I want to see her, but she doesn't want to see me just yet. She couldn't cope with my disabilities and got angry with my autism. My foster family are supportive and always try to make sure I'm ok, but I get anxious when I try to say how I'm feeling."
Childline counselling session with a girl aged 12 > Listen to our podcast episode on intersectionality in social work practice
Learning for practitioners: understanding the child

When you're working with a child, consider all the factors that might influence their safety and wellbeing. Take the time to get to know them, understand their lived experience and how they might face risks due to how others might perceive their identity.

You could consider creating safe spaces for children who have similar identities or come from the same community. This might help them talk about their experiences and get peer support.

Find out more about:

Supporting children in care

Providing children in and on the edge of care with the support they need, when they need it, can help them to achieve their potential.

Deciding whether a child should enter care

Delays in decision-making can prolong children's experiences of abuse and neglect. This means that when they do enter care they can experience greater degrees of difficulty, and the specialist services they require are less likely to have an impact.

Our Infant and Family Teams (IFT) service helps social workers and judges decide whether a child on a care plan should stay with their birth family or enter care permanently.

The IFT bring together specialists in infant mental health and social care and works with a family over a 9- to 15-month period to help reunite the child with their family where possible or place them permanently into care if not.
> Find out more about the work of the Infant and Family Teams
Children on the edge of care

Our publication Promoting the wellbeing of children in care identifies ways to better safeguard children on the edge of care:

improving understanding of how to identify damaging situations

improving decision making about when it is in a child's best interests to enter care ensuring that decisions are well planned and taken in a timely fashion.

Achieving these aims requires:

greater use of multi-agency approaches to assessment and support for children and families on the edge of care

revised training for social workers and other practitioners to ensure an improved understanding of:

child development

the identification of risk and protective factors

parental capacity to change

improvements in undergraduate and post-qualification training to ensure that social workers and other professionals are also able to develop a better understanding of the impact of care and effective interventions

greater effort to ensure stability for children and young people on the edge of care and following their entry to care.

> Read the Promoting the wellbeing of children in care report via our library catalogue
Deciding on the right placement for the child

Every child in care has their own individual strengths and needs. To identify the right placement requires effective assessment, planning and a willingness to listen to the voice of the child and their family.

Deciding on the best available placement is key to achieving stability and permanence and can have an important impact on the outcomes for the child.

Supporting children in care

Providing a secure, caring environment can help looked after children overcome their early life experiences.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to support the children in their care and every local area should have a range of support available to meet their children's needs.

NSPCC research has identified five priorities for change to improve the emotional and mental health of looked after children.

Embed an emphasis on emotional wellbeing throughout the system. Professionals working in the care system need the skills and knowledge to understand how they can support the emotional wellbeing of looked after children and young people.

Take a proactive and preventative approach. Support for looked after children should begin with a thorough assessment of their emotional and mental health needs.

Give children and young people voice and influence. Looked after children and young people need more opportunities to identify what is important to them and influence their own care.

Support and sustain children's relationships. Children's carers require training and support to be sensitive, understanding and resilient.

Support care leavers' emotional needs. Help young people identify and strengthen their support networks.

If a child or young person needs confidential help and advice direct them to Childline. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and children can also contact Childline online or read about living in care on the Childline website. You can also download Childline posters.

Feelings of isolation and loneliness can affect any child or young person, but those in care can be particularly at susceptible. The NSPCC's Building Connections programme is an online service for young people up to the age of 19, empowering them to find a way through loneliness.
> Find out more about how Building Connections can help
Supporting the birth family

It's important for professionals to support the child's birth family, to address the problems which resulted in the child entering care. In time, many children can return home to their family but even if this is not possible their birth family are still likely to be a central part of their lives.

The quality of contact a child has with their birth family can have an impact on their wellbeing, so it's important to support children to have safe, positive contact with their birth families if it is in the child's best interests.

References

Davies, C. and Ward, H. (2012) Rahilly, T. and Hendry, E. (eds) (2014) Research in Practice (RiP) (2014) Bazalgette, L., Rahilly, T. and Trevelyan, G. (2015) Bazalgette, L., Rahilly, T. and Trevelyan, G. (2015) Safeguarding children across services: messages from research. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Promoting the wellbeing of children in care: messages from research. London: NSPCC.
Fostering and adoption: placement stability and permanence. [Accessed 20/11/2023].
Achieving emotional wellbeing for looked after children: a whole system approach. [London]: NSPCC.
Achieving emotional wellbeing for looked after children: a whole system approach. [London]: NSPCC.

Children and young people leaving care

Children and young people leaving care

Returning a child home from care

For many children, returning home from care is the best possible outcome. But research shows that for others this can result in further abuse or neglect.

Many children end up back in care, and a significant number move back and forth between care and their family. Other children remain at home despite continuing abuse or neglect.

There are a number of ways to improve a child's experience of returning home from care:

Assessing the needs of the family so support can be tailored and in place before and after a child returns home.

Assessing the risks the family could pose to their child, how much they are able to change and their ability to protect their child from harm. The assessment should consider the family's history as well as the current situation.

Working with the child and their family to help strengthen their relationship.

Agreeing with the parents, in writing, what needs to happen before and after their child returns home.

Providing tailored support and services for the child and their family before and after the return home for a minimum period of 6 months (as recommended in the NSPCC Reunification Framework). This should include support from foster/residential carers, the child's school, and friends.

Returning the child home gradually, and putting in place plans for what will happen if the return is not going well.

Monitoring how the child and their family are doing.

Reunification practice framework

Our Reunification practice framework, created in partnership with University of Bristol, supports practitioners and managers to apply structured professional judgement to decisions about whether and how a child should return home from care.

The framework also helps families and workers to understand what needs to change, to set goals, access support and services and review progress.
> Find out more about the Reunification practice framework
Supporting care leavers

For some looked after children, leaving the care system can be a challenging time.

In all nations of the UK, children leaving care at 18 are entitled to support from their local authority until they are at least 21. England and Wales are governed by the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and there is separate legislation for Scotland (Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014) and Northern Ireland (The Children (Leaving Care) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002).

For some children this will mean staying on with their foster carers. For others alternative accommodation options will be required.

Local authorities across the UK have a duty to assess and meet care leavers' individual needs and to develop a pathway plan, setting out the support that will be provided to the care leaver once they have left care. This should include making sure the care leaver has somewhere suitable to live.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, care leavers are also legally entitled to a personal adviser to help with the transition.

Legislation, policy and guidance

Legislation, policy and guidance

There is legislation and guidance in each nation of the UK that sets out how the child protection system works and what agencies' responsibilities are to children and families who need support.

Find out more about the child protection system in:

There is specific legislation, policy and guidance relating to children in care and care leavers.

Key legislation

England and Wales

The Children Act 1989 underpins the way the care system works in England and Wales.

The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 introduced new duties in England and Wales around putting in place plans to promote the wellbeing of looked after children after they cease to be in care.

The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 introduced reforms to the care system in England and Wales. These included:

making it explicit that placement with a parent is the preferred option, followed by kinship care

extending local authority duties to children leaving care, including those over 21 who return to education or training

requiring children's services to arrange for looked after children to have an independent visitor where it is considered in the child's best interests.

England

The Children and Families Act 2014 introduced a number of changes to the care system in England including:

introducing 'fostering for adoption' to allow approved adopters to foster children while they wait for court approval to adopt

setting a 26-week limit for care proceedings

establishing 'staying put' arrangements to enable young people to continue living with their foster carers if they wish until the age of 21

replacing residence and contact orders with child arrangement orders, which specify where a child is to live and who they are to spend time with.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 introduced further reforms relating to looked after children, including:

setting out seven corporate parenting principles around local authorities' responsibilities towards looked after children

requiring local authorities to publish a 'local offer' for care leavers, and provide care leavers with a personal advisor up to the age of 25

requiring courts to consider the impact of harm on children and their current and future needs when making decisions about long term placements.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 sets out the duties, powers and responsibilities of local authorities regarding looked after children.

The Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 set out how arrangements should be made for fostering a child privately.

The Children (Leaving Care) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 sets out Health and Social Care Trusts' responsibilities for young people leaving care, including:

the duty to assess and meet young people's individual needs

providing personal advisers and develop pathway planning for young people up to the age of 21 (or beyond if continuing in education)

The Children (Leaving Care) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005 provides more detail on assessing and meeting the needs of young people preparing to leave care and care leavers.

Scotland

The Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984 sets out provisions for foster care in Scotland.

In Scotland, the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 sets out the duties, powers and responsibilities local authorities hold in respect of looked after children and care leavers.

The Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 introduces:

provisions about care planning, fostering, kinship care and emergency measures

clarity on when a child can be classed as 'looked after' but still live with their parents.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 introduces reforms, including:

setting out the law on corporate parenting

the provision of aftercare to young people leaving care on or after their 16th birthday

making it clear that a young person who is looked after in foster, kinship or residential care is eligible to continuing care in their current placement until they turn 21.

Wales

The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 covers local authorities' duties to children in their care, and family and friends' care. It includes a requirement to support for children and young people leaving care which is equivalent to the support a non-care-experienced child might reasonably expect from their parents.

The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (Wales) Regulations 2015 set out the responsibilities of local authorities to plan looked after children's care.

The Care Leavers (Wales) Regulations 2015 make provision about the support to be provided to young people who are no longer looked after by a local authority.

Strategy and policy

England

ensure strong, loving relationships for care-experienced children

increase the number of local, high-quality, stable and loving homes

strengthen and extend corporate parenting responsibilities across the public sector

improve education, employment and training outcomes for children in care

increase suitable accommodation for care leavers and reduce homelessness

reduce disparities in mental and physical health outcomes and improve wellbeing.

Northern Ireland

Scotland

Wales

The Programme for government 2021 to 2026 sets out the Welsh Government's current priorities, including a commitment to, "explore radical reform of current services for children looked after and care leavers". This commitment was built on in the Declaration of radical reform for children and young people's care, developed by Welsh Minsters with Young Ambassadors representing the care experienced community, which sets out the steps needed to promote the rights and wellbeing of children in care.

Key guidance

England

Statutory guidance and regulations have been issued under the Children Act 1989 including:

Northern Ireland

Scotland

Part 10 (aftercare) and Part 11 (continuing care) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 both have published guidance to explain the provisions.

Guidance on the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 and the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 clarifies local authorities' duties.

Wales

Children missing from care guidance

Looked after children are more likely to go missing than other children and are at greater risk of harm if they do.

The guidance each of the four nations has published includes:

Care leavers guidance

With outcomes for care leavers consistently poorer than for non-care-experienced young people, all four nations in the UK provide support for care leavers.

In addition to the above key legislation and guidance, the following documents are also useful for practitioners:

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Sets out who looked after children are, why they may need additional help, and ways to provide them with the support they need.

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Facts and statistics about the care system

Children and young people are taken into the care of the local authority when they cannot remain at home.

This is either because it is unsafe for them to be there, or because their parents are unable to look after them.

Some of the most common reasons for a child or young person being taken into care include abuse, neglect, family breakdown or a parent or child's illness or disability. Looked after children may be either 'accommodated' by the local authority (at the request of or in the absence of their birth parents) or subject to a Care Order made by the Family Courts. For some children and young people, being taken away from the home where they have been unsafe will be a relief. For others, being separated from their parents and/or siblings will be extremely distressing.

Whatever a child or young person has dealt with beforehand, being taken into care is itself traumatic. Many young people come through the care system and flourish. Many - though by no means all - have loving, dedicated foster carers or residential workers, and encounter social workers who go the extra mile to fight for the opportunities and support that make all the difference to a child in care. But for too many children and young people, they don't get the stability, love and support they need to heal and thrive. Our vision is that children who spend time in care have equal chances to lead a happy and fulfilling life to those who are raised in their birth families.

108,175: the number of children in care in the UK in 2020-21.

A quarter of children in care are aged 16 or 17.

7 in 10 experience a placement, school or social worker change in a year.

Could you help us be there?

Every pound you give will help to fund our campaigning and direct services for young people in care and young care leavers.

You'll ensure there's someone at the end of the phone when a young person calls for help and that the voices of care-experienced young people are amplified to bring about the change they want to see so no young person has to navigate the system alone.

As of 31st March 2021, there were:

And as of 31 July 2020, there were 16,530 children in care in Scotland .

More than 6 in 10 children in care are aged 10 to 17.

In England at 31 March 2021, figures showed that :

5% were aged under 1 year

14% were aged 1 to 4 years

19% were aged 5 to 9 years

39% were aged 10 to 15 years

23% were aged 16 years and over.

7 in 10 children in care live with foster carers.
In England at 31 March 2021, figures showed that :

71% of children in care lived in foster care.

3% of children in care were placed for adoption.

14% of children in care lived in secure units, children's homes and semi-independent living accommodation.

2% of children in care lived in the community, living independently, or in residential employment.

7% of children in care were placed with their parent(s). This may be because the parent(s) have consented to their child receiving care from the local authority, under an arrangement known as voluntary accommodation.

1 in 11 children in care have three or more placements in a year.

In England at 31 March 2021, figures showed that :

1 in 11 children had three or more placements in the twelve months to 31 March 2021.

7 in 10 children had one placement in the same period.

Over 10,000 young people aged each year transition from being 'in care' to being a 'care leaver', normally at age 18.

In England at 31 March 2021, figures showed that :
Please note: The source material for this data rounds percentages to the nearest whole number. This means that the total figure may not always add up to 100. The Covid-19 pandemic also significantly impacted year-on-year trends in the care system.

2,870 children in care left the care system because they were adopted and 3,800 left through a Special Guardianship Order being made.

16% of children in care left the care system because they returned to live with parents or relatives with parental responsibility as part of the care planning process.

13,350 young people left the care system for whatever reason aged 16 or 17 in 2021.

39% of young people who left the care system for whatever reason in 2021 'aged out' of care on their 18th birthday.

There is a contrast between how the state looks after young people and how other parents do. Young people who grow up in care are expected to live independently at a much younger age than their peers. And once they have left care, they are not necessarily able to rely on the support of their former carers in the same way that other young people are able to turn to their parents if they need a bit of extra support. ONS data shows that the average age for young people to leave the parental home is nearly 25 .

Seven : the number of corporate parenting principles set out in the Children and Social Work Act

Removing a child from their parents is the most extreme intervention the state can make in family life. Once a child or young person is in care, responsibility for their wellbeing falls to their 'corporate parents': this refers to everyone who is elected to, or employed by, a local authority, and their partner agencies, who all share a collective responsibility to the children looked after by that local authority.

There are seven corporate parenting principles set out in the Children and Social Work Act 2017. These state that corporate parents must:
1) act in the best interests of and promote the health and wellbeing of children and young people in care 2) encourage children and young people in care to express their views, wishes and feelings 3) take into account the views, wishes and feelings of children and young people in care 4) help children and young people in care to access the full range of services provided by the local authority and partners 5) promote high aspirations, and secure the best outcomes, for children and young people in care 6) ensure the safety of children and young people and provide stability in their home lives, relationships and education 7) prepare children and young people for adulthood and independent living

Become's work to improve the care system

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Your browser is no longer supported. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience. Facts and statistics about the care system Children and young people are taken into the care of the local authority when they cannot remain at home.

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Information from Hampshire County Council

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Information from Hampshire County Council

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Community and mental health services for Southampton, Portsmouth and parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Related links

Children in Care carry out a full health assessment on all children entering the care system. The service identifies any unmet physical, mental, emotional or sexual health needs in the child or young person and refers to the appropriate services. Children in Care provide ongoing support to social workers, foster carers and residential staff.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

See the latest information and guidance on Coronavirus, read our important visitor guidance and access a range of health and wellbeing resources here.

Referral criteria

Children placed at home under care orders. Care leavers; Children with a care plan for adoption; Children in foster care and residential provision; All infants, children and young people who become looked after by Southampton local authority up to the age of 18 years or 19 years where there are severe learning disabilities. This will include:

Children in foster care and residential provision;

Children with a care plan for adoption;

Care leavers;

Children placed at home under care orders.

Initial referral is made by Social Services on entry to the care system.
Once the child is in care, referrals can be made by the young person, foster carers, residential staff, health professionals and/or education.

We can accept referrals for children or young people placed in Southampton by other authorities, provided funding is agreed in advance by the requesting health team.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

Please visit our services page for specific services and contact details. Alternatively, contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service by emailing or calling the number below. You can also give us feedback, make a complaint or share a compliment.
pals@solent.nhs.uk
0800 013 2319

*Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act was passed on 30 November 2000. It gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, with full access granted in January 2005.

The Act sets out exemptions to that right and places certain obligations on public authorities.

Email: InformationGovernanceTeam@solent.nhs.uk

Phone: 0300 123 3919

*Subject to any exemptions which apply, we are obliged to provide the information requested please note that requests for Personal Information is not covered under this Act and should be applied for through the Data Protection Act 1998.

Our administrative and managerial centre is based in Southampton.

While our services can be found around various NHS locations in Southampton and Portsmouth (and surrounding districts), our administrative and managerial centre is based in Southampton at:

If you require a printable version of how to find us including bus times, car access and bike info please download our leaflet. (Copyright of Highpoint Venue).

Central office phone: 0300 123 3390

*Lines open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

If you are a journalist with a media enquiry, please contact the Communications Team at:
communications@solent.nhs.uk
0300 123 4156 or 02381 031076

The Communications Office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

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Skip to the content Community and mental health services for Southampton, Portsmouth and parts of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Related links Children in Care carry out a full health assessment on all children entering the care system.

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Welcome to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Virtual School and College Moodle site. This site contains learning material, webinars and resources to support schools, foster carers and social workers when supporting care experienced children and young people with their education.

Our site is designed to be accessible for new and existing designated teachers, foster carers and social workers. It works on a variety of platforms from smart phones to desktops. The resources and courses will: help to continually improve and reflect on provision and outcomes for care experienced children and enable us all to fulfil our corporate parenting Duties and our Statutory Guidance. Users will be able to access some open resources and will need to be registered to courses they sign up for via the Learning Zone to access online materials associated with specific courses. If you experience any difficulties logging on to the site email vsmoodle@hants.gov.uk

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Our site is designed to be accessible for new and existing designated teachers, foster carers and social workers. It works on a variety of platforms from smart phones to desktops. The resources and courses will: help to continually improve and reflect on provision and outcomes for care experienced children and enable us all to fulfil our corporate parenting Duties and our Statutory Guidance.

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Provides evidenced based parenting programmes for parents and carers who have children aged 5-17 who:
1. Have a diagnosed Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)
2. Have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
3. Are experiencing mild-moderate conduct disorder
4. Have behaviour that challenges
5. Are teenagers displaying anti-social behaviour including child to parent violence

We offer the following programmes with wrap-around support:
Cygnet (for ASC) Core programme, with additional supporting siblings and puberty, sexual health and relationships modules
The Parent Factor for ADHD
Family Links The Nurture Programme
Teen Positive Parenting Programme
Talking Teens

Parents and carers can self enrol on to a parenting programme or can be referred by a health, education or early help professional.

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Hampshire Specialist Parenting Support Service

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Provides evidenced based parenting programmes for parents and carers who have children aged 5-17 who: 1. Have a diagnosed Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) 2. Have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 3. Are experiencing mild-moderate conduct disorder 4. Have behaviour that challenges 5.