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With another heatwave imminent, advice on staying safe in the sun and water.

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Rail Safety advice from National Rail.

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Train travel is safe, but it’s good to know about the safety measures you can take to prevent anything from happening. Here’s what you need to know.

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Road Safety advice from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue

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Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

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Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

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Read our advice for all road users and find out more about keeping safe on our roads

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In hot weather, water safety becomes an even greater concern. Advice here from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue.

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Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

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Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

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Know the dangers of swimming in open water and how to stay safe near water.

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Tips for parents/carers supporting young people with exam stress

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Find out how to help your child through the stress of school exams and tests, including what you can do to help them cope with nerves and anxiety, plus advice about diet, sleep and exercise.

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Supporting a Young Person with Low Mood or Depression

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Supporting a Young Person with Low Mood or Depression

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Clear advice from reputed charity Young Minds

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Going through different emotions is part of life. While it can feel worrying as a parent, it is normal for young people to feel low sometimes, and this can be a natural response to what's happening around them. Often, the passing of time and support from people they're close to can help things feel better again.

When a young person is feeling depressed, however, sadness and low feelings become more overwhelming, persisting over a longer period of time and making day-to-day life difficult.

Knowing that your child is feeling depressed can be incredibly worrying as a parent. But remember that lots of young people go through depression and come out the other side and feel okay again, and that there are things you can do to help them - including providing emotional support, working on practical strategies together and finding the right professional support if they need it.

Symptoms of low mood and depression

As a parent, it can be useful to understand the difference between having a generally low mood and feeling depressed. This can help you to think through what your child is experiencing and the type of support they need.

If your child is experiencing a low mood, they may feel more sad, tearful, worried, tired or angry than usual, or feel low and less confident about themselves - but then feel better after a few days or weeks. They may also start to feel better quite quickly after making small changes in their life or routine - for example after resolving a disagreement with a friend, getting to the end of a stressful time at school or starting a more regular sleeping pattern.

When a young person is depressed, sadness and low feelings do not change or go away with time. These feelings can become overwhelming and stop them from doing or enjoying things they normally would. When a young person is experiencing this, it's very difficult to shift the situation without extra help and support.

While every young person is different, and these feelings are often expressed differently at different ages, some signs that your child may be feeling depressed include:

withdrawing, or avoiding friends or social situations

finding it hard to concentrate, and/or losing interest in schoolwork

not wanting to do things they previously enjoyed

feeling irritable, angry or frustrated

feeling tearful, miserable, lonely or hopeless

feeling empty or numb

being very self-critical, or feeling less confident

sleeping more or less than normal

eating more or less than normal

feeling tired or not having any energy

showing less or no interest in self-care activities like washing

wanting to self-harm

experiencing suicidal thoughts

If your child is experiencing one or two of these things, it does not necessarily mean that they are experiencing depression. But it's important to speak to your GP as a first step so that you can explore what's going on together.

How to help your child with depression and low mood

If you are concerned that your child may be experiencing depression, there are lots of things you can do to help.

We have a list of services and helplines they can use on our reaching out for help page, which you can point them towards.

Top tips for supporting your child with depression.

When to seek professional help

If the situation isn't getting better with time and you're feeling worried about your child's mental health, seek professional support and advice.

Many children and young people will need professional and specialist help to feel better if they are experiencing depression. They may benefit from a specific diagnosis or a treatment such as talking therapy.

You can find more information about how to access professional help below.

Where to find professional help

If your child is experiencing depression and needs ongoing support, it can be helpful to create a support plan together with the professionals around your child - so that you know exactly what help is available and how your child can access it. This could include things like:

agreements with their GP, or their key worker if they are being treated by CAMHS, about when they will next check-in

whether any referrals can be made to other services, and a list of the services available locally that might be able to support them

what your child's school can offer - including a staff member who they can speak to when they're struggling.

people your child trusts and can talk to when they need to, including family and friends.

You can find out more about speaking to GPs, finding a counsellor or therapist, accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), getting help from your child's school and finding local services on our guide to getting help.

Young people's advice for others experiencing depression

Speak to your doctor or a trusted adult about how you're feeling.

Don't be afraid to cry, especially if you're male - it helps to release emotions and you'll feel better afterwards.

I've found that identifying behaviours that are not beneficial to you - like endlessly scrolling through Instagram before bed and sleeping late - can be really helpful. It's hard to force good habits, but it can do wonders for your overall mood.

Try to keep going outside, even if it's just a short walk, it can really help your mood to lift.

Find a distraction technique - we all have different ones; it could be jogging, music, art, reading etc.

Realise that how you're feeling won't last forever and there's always something to look forward to.

If your child is having suicidal thoughts

Young people who are struggling with depression can experience feelings of not being able to go on, or no longer wanting to be alive. This can lead them to think about, speak of, or attempt suicide.

A young person can struggle with thoughts of suicide without acting on them. But these thoughts can also develop into stronger feelings, and a plan or intention to attempt suicide. All suicidal thoughts should be taken seriously, and young people going through this need help and support.

If your child is experiencing suicidal thoughts, or you're worried they might be, we have information and advice that can help. Have a look at our page on suicidal thoughts for advice on how to support them and where you can find help - including how to access urgent help.

For advice on supporting and responding to your child when they're experiencing suicidal thoughts, have a look at the Prevention of Young Suicide (PAPYRUS) website. You can also contact their HOPELINE to speak to an advisor via phone or email.

Looking after yourself as a parent

Supporting a young person who is struggling with depression can be incredibly worrying and exhausting - and it's entirely understandable if you're struggling with anxiety or other difficult feelings yourself at the moment.

It's so important to recognise the impact the situation is having on you, and to think about ways you can take care of yourself - including getting support from other people so that you can take some time off. Remember that it's okay to ask for help when you need it, and to share your worries with someone you trust.

Many parents find it helpful to reach out to other parents so they can talk through how they have handled difficult situations with their children and get support. You may also be able to find a local parent support group using the Charlie Waller Trust directory.

If you need more help, you can find services such as counselling or therapy through your GP and other local organisations, or privately if this is an affordable option for you. Sometimes it helps just having someone there who can listen to what you're going through - and if you need someone to talk to, you can call the Samaritans anytime on 116 123.

You might also find helpful...

Where to get further support

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 March 2023. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with depression or low-mood. We will next review the page in 2024. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.

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Depression & Low Mood | Signs, Symptoms & Treatment

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Depression is a mood disorder where low mood persists for a long time. Read about the symptoms, what support is available and how you can help your child.

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Quick tips to boost your mental health

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Take action this Mental Health Awareness Week

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Ways you can take action for good mental health this Mental Health Awareness Week 2026

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Friday 13th March is World Sleep Day. But every day should be a good sleep day - it helps our mental and physical health

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A decent night's sleep will help children to learn more effectively and make them less susceptible to minor ailments,

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A range of quick read articles for parents/carers when supporting young people and their mental health

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Parenting Smart offers practical advice for parents and carers of children aged 5-11. All of our content is created by Place2Be's parenting experts. It's based on evidence and their experiences working with children, young people and their families.

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To mark LGBTQ+ History Month, here is some clear advice on being a trusted adult for a young person who may be questioning their sexuality

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Welcome to The Proud Trust's resources for Trusted Adults of LGBT+ children and young people. If you are an LGBT+ young person looking for information or support, check out our pages for young people here!
Who is a 'Trusted Adult'?
The service has been developed and created for any adult who has a trusted relationship with a young person. This could be a parent or carer, a schoolteacher, sports coach, bus driver, hairdresser, shopkeeper or anyone who has regular interactions with a young person.

If you feel there is something specific to your role or interactions with children and young people that isn't covered in the resources, please do get in touch and let us know or use the web chat function to talk it through with one of our operators.

On these pages, you will find some helpful information which will hopefully help you in supporting the LGBT+ young people you are in contact with. These resources cover a range of different things such as exploring LGBT+ identities, LGBT+ inclusion and how to support young people coming out as LGBT+. You'll also find information and biographies of LGBT+ people within 'LGBT+ Icons'.

These pages are intended to give you a deeper understanding of LGBT+ identities and also provide information about how to support LGBT+ young people. We hope this will lead to more informed, open and supportive conversations with children and young people about LGBT+ identities.

If you are struggling to find something to help you on these pages, or need more support or guidance, you can also use Proud Connections Live Chat.
The live chat will be open 12 TOP TIP: pm - 6pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays
You are not alone - support is out there and that goes for you and the children and young people you interact with.

Questioning your sexuality or gender identity can be a lot to process for children and young people, it is also a lot to process as the Trusted Adult of an LGBT+ young person - so don't be afraid to seek support. Speak to us via the Proud Connections web chat or look up your local groups on the 'Groups' page of this site. There are people, groups and services out there to support you!

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Welcome to The Proud Trust's resources for Trusted Adults of LGBT+ children and young people. If you are an LGBT+ young person looking for information or support, check out our pages for young people here! Who is a 'Trusted Adult'? The service has been developed and created for any adult who has a trusted relationship with a young person.

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This year's theme for Safer Internet Day is Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI and there are lots of quick tips on here for guiding young people to stay safe whilst using AI

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Top Tips for parents and carers - UK Safer Internet Centre

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Online Safety Tips, Advice and Resources

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As we leave winter, we are outside more often. here are some helpful reminders to stay safe.

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Some simple and helpful guidance on packing a healthy lunch for your child

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What should be in a healthy lunchbox (6)

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Clear advice on how to talk to your child about a range of relationship and sex topics

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Look into topics to discuss with your child or teen - from puberty, consent and porn to sexuality and gender

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A simple but clear NHS guide on vaping and what is true/not true

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Myth 1: Vaping is just as harmful as smoking

In 2022, UK experts reviewed the international evidence and found that "in the short and medium-term, vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking".

Cigarettes release thousands of different chemicals when they burn - many are poisonous and up to 70 cause cancer. Most of the harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke, including tar and carbon monoxide, are not contained in vape aerosol.

People who switch completely from smoking to vaping have significantly reduced exposure to toxins associated with risks of cancer, lung disease, heart disease and stroke.

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Vaping myths and the facts - Better Health

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There are lots of misconceptions about e-cigarettes and vaping. Here are some of the most common myths, and the facts based on scientific evidence and data.

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Talking To Young People About Drugs and Alcohol

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Talking To Young People About Drugs and Alcohol

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Support for adults to talk to young people about drugs and alcohol.

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Talking to a young person about drugs and alcohol

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As a family member it can be hard to talk to a teenager about drugs and alcohol. So we’ve created a guide for having ‘the talk’ the right way.

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Bitesize support to help foster a positive body image in your child.

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The Anti-Bullying Alliance are a national organisation who offer a wealth of support for young people and adults.

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Information on Choking, Free from falls, Prevent poisoning, Safe from burns and

Safe around roads translated into Arabic, Bengali, Panjabi, Polish, Romanian, Somali and Urdu

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Six fact sheets translated into five languages - Arabic, Bengali, Panjabi, Polish, Romanian, Somali and Urdu - for speakers of English as an additional language.

Do you work with families who need safety advice translated into a language that isn't listed here? Please contact us, explaining the need, to help us make the case to funders.

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Six fact sheets translated into five languages - Arabic, Bengali, Panjabi, Polish, Romanian, Somali and Urdu - for speakers of English as an additional language. Do you work with families who need safety advice translated into a language that isn't listed here? Please contact us, explaining the need, to help us make the case to funders.

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A completely free one-stop site to learn how to deal with accidents and first aid issues.

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Learn the key skills to use in an emergency

Learning even the simplest first aid skill can make the difference in an emergency.

On this page, you can find:

learn first aid skills online

first aid courses and workshops

First aid app by British Red Cross

first aid for babies and children

first aid teaching resources for teachers

Stay safe while giving first aid

Always consider your personal safety when giving first aid. Look out for any dangers and only act when you're confident it's safe.

Be one of a million!

This September, we are calling for a million people in the UK to download our free first aid app to learn life-saving skills and have the confidence to help in an emergency. Our app has already been downloaded by more than 900,000 users and includes easy-to-follow steps and video guides
Download first aid app

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Learn key first aid treatments with the British Red Cross

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Our advice and videos will help you learn simple first aid skills so you will feel confident to help in an emergency.

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Heaps of free things to do in Manchester this summer!

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Free Things to do in Manchester this Summer - Loads To Do

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Free Things to do in Manchester: Are you looking for places to go that won’t cost the earth? There are many free things to do in Manchester.

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Quick tips on staying safe in the sun.

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We know children love spending time outdoors, whether in the garden, park, or beach, however, their skin is more delicate than adults and can easily be damaged by the sun, even when it doesn't seem strong.

Skin damage caused by repeated exposure to sunlight could lead to skin cancer developing in later life. Therefore, it is extremely important to protect their skin.

However, there is lots of information, including various myths, around sun protection, so the BSF has put together some materials for you to download to equip you with the knowledge you need to protect your child(ren) from the sun.

Remember! Set your child(ren) a good example by also following this advice so your whole family can have a sun safe summer.
Sun Safety - Top Tips Sun Safety - Sunscreen Sun Myths vs Sun Facts

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We know children love spending time outdoors, whether in the garden, park, or beach, however, their skin is more delicate than adults and can easily be damaged by the sun, even when it doesn't seem strong. Skin damage caused by repeated exposure to sunlight could lead to skin cancer developing in later life.

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Clear explanations, tips and support from the national charity, Mind.

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Clear and quick guidance on staying safe from Manchester Fire and Rescue

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Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

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Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

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LGBT+ support for young people and adults

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The Proud Trust is an LGBT+ organisation that supports LGBT+ young people through youth groups, peer support, mentoring programs and the Proud Connections chat service.

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Childline has support for a huge range of issues. It provides a few different ways for young people to interact with the services.

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On Thursday 30 November from 2:30am - 7:30am, you won't be able to contact Childline whilst we do some important maintenance to our systems. This means that 1-2-1 chats, calling and messages to Childline will be unavailable. You'll still be able to use the Childline website for advice and information.

If you're in danger or it's an emergency, you should always call 999

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Get help and advice about a wide range of issues, call us on 0800 1111, talk to a counsellor online, send Childline an email or post on the message boards.

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Help and advice on a range of relationship topics. Under 20 year olds can access their free support in-person too (address on website).

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Free, confidential sexual health service for young people aged 19 and under in Manchester.

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Tips for adults on supporting young people with their internet usage

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Parents and Carers - UK Safer Internet Centre

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Tips, advice, guides and resources to help keep your child safe online

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NHS support with quitting smoking

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If you smoke, you might be more at risk of having high blood pressure. If left untreated, high blood pressure can increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

High blood pressure does not usually have any symptoms, so the only way to know if you have it, is to get a check. If you are 40 or over, live in England and haven't had a check in the last 6 months, you can get your blood pressure checked for free at your pharmacy today.

If your blood pressure is high, then it can be managed through lifestyle changes or medication.

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When you stop smoking, good things start to happen to your health. Get free support from the NHS to become smoke free and help build a smokefree generation.

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NHS 111 website can help you identify support to get for any symptoms being experienced.

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111 online will not give you a diagnosis, but we will direct you to the best place to get help for your symptoms.

We cannot:

issue fit notes - you need to contact your GP surgery

make or cancel appointments for you in other parts of the NHS

Read about how 111 online works in detail

NHS 111 online is available in England only.

Get help in:

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111 online will not give you a diagnosis, but we will direct you to the best place to get help for your symptoms. We cannot: issue fit notes - you need to contact your GP surgery make or cancel appointments for you in other parts of the NHS Read about how 111 online works in detail NHS 111 online is available in England only.

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Free, safe and anonymous support for young people.

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Kooth is your online mental wellbeing community. Access free, safe and anonymous

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Advice on sweets and drinks being sold in Manchester that are illegal due to potential harm they can cause.

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Illegal Imported Sweets and Drinks Warning - LHS

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The Chartered Trading Standards Institute has issued a warning that imported sweets and fizzy drinks with known links to hyperactivity and cancer have flooded the UK.

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Heaps of ideas from the NHS to help your family eat healthily and stay active.

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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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This a great site for young people to explore their physical and mental health in a safe, trusted way. It is also good for adults to see as the site is kept up-to-date with relevant articles and support.

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Should you need urgent health advice please contact your GP or call NHS 111. In an emergency please visit A&E or call 999

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Health For Teens | Everything you wanted to know about health

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Health for Teens offers a great choice of content and quizzes across all areas of your health, from sexual health to your feelings, growing up, lifestyle and much more.

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This website is jam-packed with ideas for supporting young people's and adults' wellbeing. Click on the 'resources' tab

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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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Our school has a partnership with British Red Cross. It is important that our pupils learn about events across the world and feel like they can make a difference as active citizens.