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Making the move to university: looking after your mental health

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Making the move to university: looking after your mental health

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Bolton College Menu September 2025 - July 2026

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Bolton College Menu September 2025 - July 2026

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Please ensure you gain signed consent.

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Bolton MHST Consultation and Referral Form college docx V2 Final (002)

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young persons views referral form college

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Please explore Q10 and Q23 - What are the thoughts? Do they relate to self-harm or suicide?

Q37 thinking about death - What does this mean to them? If they are having thoughts about suicide please follow our risk advice and your colleges internal safeguarding procedures.

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Email the referral form, consent form and RCADs to boltonmhst@gmmh.nhs.uk

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Email the referral form, consent form and RCADs to boltonmhst@gmmh.nhs.uk

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Referrals are discussed every Monday, an action for each referral is agreed during this meeting.

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A guide for Parents & Carers - Self Harm Booklet (2)

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GMMH371 Your Information and How We Use it Easy Read

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External Services Contacts from Bolton MHST

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External Services Contacts from Bolton MHST

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Anna Freud Whole School College Approach

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Anna Freud Whole School College Approach

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Our action planning tool uses a RAG (red, amber, green) rated system so that you can clearly see the status of each action (not yet in place = red, working towards = amber, achieved = green).

School and college staff have busy workloads and competing priorities some of the steps included in the Framework will take a while to implement, so remember to be realistic when setting your goals.

Your aim should be to make improvements over time, rather than try to do everything at once.

We would encourage you to revisit your action planning tool every three to six months to update your progress and print out your own RAG rated results.

The action planning tool could also be built into your school or college development or improvement plan to clearly demonstrate your commitment to a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing.

The 5 Steps Framework will regularly refer to a whole-school or college community. This is because pupils, parents and carers, governors, and staff all have a role to play in promoting mental health, and your success in creating a whole-school approach will depend on their support.

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5 Steps to Mental Health and Wellbeing user guide

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More information on making the most of the 5 Steps framework in your school or college.

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8 principles of Whole School College Approach (WSCA)

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8 principles of Whole School College Approach (WSCA)

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Emotionally Based School Avoidance Resource

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Emotionally Based School Avoidance Resource

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Amania Hassan Bolton MHST EMHP About Me Info Sheet_SECONDARY

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Advice and guidance for students with ADHD

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Advice and guidance for students with ADHD

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Support for neurological conditions | The Brain Charity

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

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Learn more about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in The Brain Charity’s A-Z of conditions.

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We are the UKs leading charity for autistic people and their families. Since 1962, we have been providing support, guidance and advice, as well as campaigning for improved rights, services and opportunities to help create a society that works for autistic people.

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This session is aimed at a universal audience and provides the background to self harm in children and teenagers, common associated conditions and the optimal approach to managing it in the community.

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Suicide Prevention Education and Training (information and links)

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Suicide Prevention Education and Training (information and links)

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Anna Freud: Senior Mental Health Lead Training

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Anna Freud: Senior Mental Health Lead Training

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Online training courses for senior mental health leads, helping you develop a sustainable whole-school approach to mental health.

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Find out how your school or college can apply for a grant and access training to help develop a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

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Referrals, School Allocations & Participation (27.01.2025)

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Referrals, School Allocations & Participation (27.01.2025)

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External Services Contacts from Bolton MHST

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External Services Contacts from Bolton MHST

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Sexuality and mental health | Understanding Your Sexuality

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Sexuality and mental health – sexuality is the way you describe sexual, emotional and physical feelings or attractions you have towards another person.

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Sexuality and mental health | Understanding Your Sexuality

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Sexuality and mental health – sexuality is the way you describe sexual, emotional and physical feelings or attractions you have towards another person.

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What is gender identity?

Your gender identity is how you describe your gender. For example, you might say you are a woman, non-binary, transgender, a man, gender fluid, or something different. Your gender identity is your decision and is also about how you want others to treat you - for example, how you want people refer to you ('she', 'him', 'they' or something else).

Gender is different from 'sex'. Your sex refers to your physical and biological body parts (like the penis, vagina, different hormones or breasts).

Over time, you might explore your gender and you might decide that you are a different gender than the sex you were born with. You might explore your gender at any point in your life, or continuously throughout your life, but it is common to do so during puberty when your hormones are changing and you're exploring lots of different parts of who you are.

Here are some different words people use when talking about gender identity

You may use something else to describe your gender. For more information about the different terms and gender identities, visitStonewall.

Differences in sex development/intersex

Differences in sex development (DSD), sometimes known as intersex, is an umbrella term for over 40 biological conditions that affect a person's sex development. This can include differences on the inside of your body and on the outside. It can be things like differences in the development of sex chromosomes, some hormones or the reproductive organs or genitals (the penis or vagina).

People with a DSD/intersex people develop in many different ways. Some might not have periods or be able to have their own children, while others may look different in their build or how they grow. But having a DSD is no different from having a variation of any other part of the body. No one body is the same and we are all unique.

Sometimes, when you are born intersex, differences in how your genitals look could be a sign of a serious medical condition. When this happens, a parent/carer might think about surgery as an option. In the UK, it's likely that surgery will only be considered if there is a medical need for it, not simply because you look 'different'. And even in these cases, adults/carers might be encouraged to wait until you are old enough to be involved in any decisions about surgery yourself. Just like any other part of the body, the care that you receive should always be based on the best available evidence and the impacts it could have on you.

Whether you have had surgery or not, having a DSD could mean you have a complicated relationship with your body. As with any other part of the body, a difference in your appearance or how your body works could have a big impact on how you see yourself. This can be very difficult but remember that support is out there to help you work through these experiences and live a happy and fulfilled life.

If you are intersex/have a DSD, knowing more about your condition may help you to feel more confident in your body. You can find out more about specific DSDs through the organisation dsdteens.

I have known since birth that I have what is called a Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS). Having this condition, for me, is as normal as the fact that I was born with brown hair and green eyes.

If you're a young person with a DSD, you might feel lonely, like people are judging you, or like you are being treated differently from everyone else. This can be especially difficult if your DSD is not openly talked about. But you are not alone.

If you are experiencing any of these feelings, it's important to remember that you are not alone. Sex development happens to everybody but everyone has a different experience of it. There are others like you with a DSD and hearing their stories can help you to feel less alone.

If you need support with living with a DSD or if you want to find out more, take a look at these organisations and services that have information and advice to help you:

Having a DSD/being intersex does not define your gender identity. An intersex person may identify as male, as female, as non-binary or however they choose.

Some people prefer to use the term 'variations of sex development' (VSD) while others prefer to use 'intersex' or 'DSD'. It is your choice how you refer to your own DSD and your choice if you want to talk about it or keep it private.

If you're struggling with how you're feeling about a DSD/being intersex, know that your feelings are totally valid. Having a DSD might make you feel different from other people and it can be hard if you feel like your DSD isn't being recognised, but there are people that can help you find the support you need.

Meet Anick, a young activist who shares his story of being intersex. Trigger warning: talk of suicide, surgery and blood.

I didn't know people could be so accepting of something which I was hiding for so long.

Anick Soni, The Intersex Diaries, BBC Radio 1

From a young age, I struggled with food. Puberty was a traumatic time because my body began changing in ways that felt completely at odds with how I saw myself. It led to me developing gender dysphoria and becoming severely anxious, withdrawn, and depressed.

Unfortunately, some people experience bullying, hostility or discrimination if their gender identity is not similar to the people around them. Experiencing this, or hearing about these experiences from others can mean there may be times or places where you don't feel comfortable or safe sharing or expressing your gender.

My gender identity also affected my mental health, because at first I just felt really, really confused, and it left me feeling like I was incomplete.

Having these experiences, particularly if they are on a regular basis, can be extremely distressing and overwhelming. You might start avoiding places or making conscious decisions about everyday things that others don't need to think about.

Constantly carrying these emotions and making these decisions can be exhausting, and you may find it makes everyday tasks like eating, concentrating at school/work, engaging in conversation, or getting good sleep very difficult. You may also find it leads to feelings of:

If you are experiencing any of the above, it's important to know you are not alone. There are people who can help you and things can get better. There are helplines, therapists, counsellors and mental health professionals you can talk to who understand what you're going through.

If you have experienced bullying, discrimination, or verbal or physical abuse because of your gender, you can report it as a hate crime.

If you need urgent help and are experiencing a mental health crisis, you should contact a helpline service on our urgent help page.

It may seem hard to believe, but things can change for society and for you. There are many people working hard every day to make society a more equal place for LGTBQIA+ people. You deserve to be who you are freely and without fear.

Our Activists share their advice if you're struggling with your mental health and gender identity.

Labels can be useful as a way to understand more about yourself and help others understand your experience of gender, however there is no rush to have a label so don't feel like you need to find one immediately.

Looking after your mental health while exploring your gender identity: Jasmine's story

Because of this idea that it's not socially acceptable for men to cry or show vulnerability, it can come across like men just don't experience sadness. Although this obviously isn't true, if you never see other men cry or show vulnerability, it can make you feel like an anomaly if you do feel sadness.

Toxic masculinity and mental health: Luke's story

More on looking after yourself

More tips, advice and information on looking after yourself.

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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Gender and Mental Health | Support and Advice

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Your experiences with your gender may affect your mental health. For some, this can be a confusing or difficult time - we have some tips and advice to help.

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Young Minds: Young People's personal experiences around accepting sexuality.

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Young Minds: Young People's personal experiences around accepting sexuality.

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My Mental Health and Accepting My Sexuality | Blog

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Our Activist, Charlotte, shares how she struggled with mental health and accepting her sexuality, and discusses LGBTQ+ representations in the media.

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Bolton Mental Health Support Team School Allocations

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Bolton Mental Health Support Team School Allocations

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School Staff: LGBTQI+ inclusive RSHE guide for schools

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School Staff: LGBTQI+ inclusive RSHE guide for schools

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LGBT-inclusive RSHE: a guide for schools : Mentally Healthy Schools

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A guide from Stonewall to help primary and secondary schools deliver LGBT-inclusive RSHE lessons.

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Staff: Exam and assessment stress guidance

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Staff: Exam and assessment stress guidance

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Exam and assessment stress: guidance for staff in further education colleges : Mentally Healthy Schools

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Information for college staff on how to identify if a student is struggling with exam and assessment stress, and how to support them.

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Tips for managing exam stress : Mentally Healthy Schools

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Staff: How to talk about and support young people with their wellbeing

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Staff: How to talk about and support young people with their wellbeing

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How to talk about and support young people with their wellbeing : Mentally Healthy Schools

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A comprehensive, children and young person led guide to supporting wellbeing.