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Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are passed from one person to another during unprotected sexual contact. It does not matter how many times you have had sex or how many sexual partners you have had; anyone can get an STI. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes and syphilis are some of the most common STIs in the UK. HIV is another serious STI and testing is offered to everybody as part of a routine sexual health screen. Read more about specific STIs.

Often people who have an STI won't show any signs or symptoms and therefore may not know they are carrying it - so it's important to test regularly and after each new sexual partner. No one wants to pass on an infection unknowingly, and regular testing is the easiest way to protect yourself and others. It's free, painless, quick and easy to get tested.

Chlamydia is the most common STI. It often doesn't have any symptoms so you might not even know you have it, but left untreated it can cause serious and long-term problems; particularly for women and other people with a womb or ovaries.

To reduce these risks, it's recommended that young women aged 15 to 24 get tested for chlamydia once a year, or after a new sexual partner. You can get tested at the West Sussex sexual health service which includes being able to order a FREE test kit online. We also offer a number of urgent walk-in appointments at our clinics. Testing is quick and painless, and if you find out you have an STI, don't worry - most can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics.

Testing

Testing for STIs has never been easier. It's always confidential and most infections can be cured. You can order FREE testing kits online which screen for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis. These kits will be delivered discreetly to your home by post, in a plain, grey envelope, or you can ask for the kit to be sent to one of many "click and collect" venues across the county. You return your tests in a pre-paid envelope and will get your test results in a text message within 10 days. Find out more or order a test kit.

You can also get tested and treated for sexually transmitted infections at sexual health clinics. You don't need to be referred to a clinic or be registered with a GP to visit a sexual health clinic, and you can use clinics outside of West Sussex if that is more convenient to you.

You can book an appointment at one of the clinics in West Sussex by calling 01903 285199.

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SAFE: Sex Aware, Feel Empowered - West Sussex County Council

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Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are passed from one person to another during unprotected sexual contact. It does not matter how many times you have had sex or how many sexual partners you have had; anyone can get an STI. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes and syphilis are some of the most common STIs in the UK.

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Support for parents to de-code online communication

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Thought-Full offer a range of support including short-term interventions for children experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties.

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Thought-Full - West Sussex County Council

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For schools working with Thought-Full, we offer a range of support including short-term interventions for children experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties. Follow the link and complete the form if you would like to request support.

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Crawley Youth and Community Centre - Friday Youth Lounge Poster 2024

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book appointment with i-rock horsham district

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book apopintment with personal meetings and services/counselling

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Book Support and Advice Services for Young People 14 - 25| i-Rock Horsham District

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Book support and advice for young people aged 14 - 25 at i-Rock Horsham District. Take the first step towards supporting wellbeing. Schedule appointments now!

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Report a safeguarding concern

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If you have any safeguarding concerns, in the first instance please call the School on 01293 538779 and email dsl@thegatwickschool.org.uk.

Any email regarding safeguarding that is being sent during school holidays (or any period where the School is closed), should also be sent to info@thegatwickschool.org.uk and the duty DSL will pick up the concern.

Our safeguarding statement of intent
The aims of the school safeguarding policy are Prevention, Protection and Support in line with child protection guidelines. The school is therefore committed to the vital contribution that all governors, staff and support staff make to safeguarding students. We aim to ensure that child protection concerns and referrals are handled sensitively, professionally and in ways that support the specific needs of the individual child. Through providing a caring, safe and stimulating environment which promotes the social, physical and moral development of all our students, we aim to foster an atmosphere of trust, respect and security.

To support families to navigate support available in school and in the community we have created The Gatwick School's Wellbeing Directory (padlet.com)
Working to safeguard children
To ensure that all students are safe, we work in conjunction with partnership agencies, staff, parents, visitors and members of the community to support our safeguarding procedures. We take our responsibilities for safeguarding children in our care seriously. Many students have expressed their appreciation of the amount of support that the school has given them.

TGS recognises the difficulties that young people and their families face in today's society every day. We are committed to offering equal opportunities and support to all of our students.

The school runs activities and workshops to raise awareness during the school year to support students' understanding and management of potentially unsafe or concerning situations including bullying, online safety and other specific safeguarding issues that may arise.

Support and mentoring schemes are made available to students to equip them with the required tools to make the right decisions and develop independence whilst keeping themselves safe by knowing how to access help when they need it.

Please see below the specific safeguarding concerns that could arise and some links to guide you.
Child missing from education
At TGS we have put in place appropriate safeguarding policies, procedures and responses for children who go missing from education, particularly for those with persistent absences.

All children, regardless of their circumstances, are entitled to a full time education which is suitable to their age, ability, aptitude and any special educational needs they may have. Local authorities have a duty to establish, as far as it is possible to do so, the identity of children of compulsory school age who are missing education in their area.

It is essential that all staff are made aware of the signs to look out for and the individual triggers to be aware of when considering the risks of potential safeguarding concerns such as travelling to conflict zones, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), forced marriage and criminal exploitation.

All schools must inform their Local Authority of any student who fails to attend school regularly, or has been absent without the school's permission for a continuous period of 10 school days or more, at such intervals as are agreed between the school and the local authority. Download the Children missing education: statutory guidance for local authorities.
Child on Child abuse including sexual harassment and violence
At TGS we have a culture of safeguarding. The Academy does not tolerate any form of sexual harassment or violence. As per government guidance in 'Keeping Children Safe In Education 2023', the School works on the assumption that sexual harassment and violence 'could happen here' and insists that no member of our community ever treats sexual violence or harassment as 'banter' or 'a part of growing up'.

In order to ensure our culture of safeguarding is consistent and embedded throughout, the academy puts a series of proactive measures to reduce the risk of such incidents. Along with regular reinforcement, staff and student training and consistency, the key strategy is education. Specifically of appropriate behaviour through our PSHE/RSE programme.

The school also ensures that staff and students are trained to ensure they can recognise potential signs of abuse and how to report them. The school educates students to understand sexual harassment may appear in many forms, and all members of our community have a duty to report any possible sign of sexual harassment or violence. These may include but are not limited to:

· Sexual comments, such as telling sexualised stories, making lewd comments, making sexualised remarks about clothing and or appearance and calling someone sexualised names

· Sexualised "jokes" or taunting

· Physical behaviour, such as; deliberately brushing against someone, interfering with someone's clothes

· Online sexual harassment. This may be standalone, or part of a wider pattern of sexual harassment and/or sexual violence

· Consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes images and/or videos

Sexualised behaviour sits on a continuum with five stages:

· appropriate - the type of sexual behaviour that is considered 'appropriate' for a particular child depends on their age and level of development

· inappropriate - this may be displayed in isolated incidents, but is generally consensual and acceptable within a peer group

· problematic - this may be socially unexpected, developmentally unusual, and impulsive, but have no element of victimisation

· abusive - this often involves manipulation, coercion, or lack of consent

· violent - this is very intrusive and may have an element of sadism

When the academy is made aware of an alleged incident of sexual harassment or violence we take every step to ensure the student making the disclosure feels supported. The School then completes a detailed investigation and works with our local safeguarding partners to arrive at a fair conclusion, before recording the incident and outcomes on CPOMS.
Talking to your child about online sexual harassment: A guide for parents,
As noted, sexual harassment can take place anywhere and at anytime.

Please click HERE to download a copy of Talking to your child about online sexual harassment: A guide for parents, which supports parents in discussing online sexual harassment with their children.

Please feel free to also contact the Academy for a recording from our recent parents seminar which focuses on 'parenting in a digital world' and the Parents' Forum presentation on online safety and harmful sexual behaviour.
Childline 'Report, Remove'
Childline has released support for children of all ages to help remove nude images shared online. To get the imaged removed, visit the website. The child will need to:

· Select their age

· Create a Childline account to receive updates on the report

· Report the image or video to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)

The only information you will give to the IWF are the images, videos or URLs you report. There is space to add information such as where the image or video is on a webpage. Childline will never see what pictures and videos or URLs you share with the IWF. The only information the IWF shares with Childline apart from your case number is if they will take down your images or videos, and why.
Female genital mutilation
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs. It is illegal in the UK and a form of child abuse with long-lasting harmful consequences. Professionals in all agencies, and individuals and groups in relevant communities, need to be alert to the possibility of a girl being at risk of FGM, or already having suffered FGM. Click here to download the FGM Booklet for Professionals and Families.
Child sexual exploitation
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people receive something (for example food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, gifts, money or in some cases simply affection) as a result of engaging in sexual activities. Sexual exploitation can take many forms ranging from the seemingly 'consensual' relationship where sex is exchanged for affection or gifts, to serious organised crime by gangs and groups. What marks out exploitation is an imbalance of power in the relationship. The perpetrator always holds some kind of power over the victim which increases as the exploitative relationship develops. Sexual exploitation involves varying degrees of coercion, intimidation or enticement, including unwanted pressure from peers to have sex, sexual bullying including cyber bullying and grooming. However, it is also important to recognise that some young people who are being sexually exploited do not exhibit any external signs of this abuse. Visit the NSPCC website for more information about preventing abuse.
Keeping children safe in education - government guidance
The government publishes statutory guidance for schools on keeping children safe in education settings. See the guidance for school and college staff.
Specific safeguarding issues
Expert and professional organisations are best placed to provide up-to-date guidance and practical support on specific safeguarding issues. Please visit www.nspcc.org.uk. Also available is the government guidance on the issues listed below via www.gov.uk

· Working together to improve school attendance

· child missing from home or care

· child sexual exploitation(CSE)

· bullying including cyber bullying

· domestic violence

· fabricated or induced illness

· faith abuse

· female genital mutilation(FGM)

· forced marriage

· gangs and youth violence

· gender-based violence/violence against women and girls (VAWG)

· mental health

· private fostering

· preventing radicalisation

· youth-produced sexual images

· teenage relationship abuse

· trafficking
Online safety
The Think You Know website is created by the police for parents of children at secondary school. It contains useful information about:

· what children are doing online

· how to talk to children about what they are doing online

· what risks your child might face

· what tools are there to help them stay safe.

Think You Know have also produced a Parent's Guide to E-Safety and also the following booklets to provide parents/carers with helpful information on how to explore and monitor their children's apps.

· Instagram

· Kik messenger

· Musical.ly

In January 2018 the Department for Education issued new guidance on searching, screening and confiscation of electronic devices in school. Download the guidance here: Searching, screening and confiscation at school.

TikTok. We are also aware of the growth of TikTok, a very popular social media platform for young people.

Feel free to Download TikTok: What parents need to know, which has been produced by the Metropolitan Police and National Online Safety. The leaflet also details key safety tips for parents.
Other useful information and advice
My Phone - keeping it safe - guidance from the police

www.getsafeonline.org - Free up-to-date security advice

www.ceop.police.uk - Website of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre

https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/professionals-online-safety-helpline - Resources for professionals working in the area of safeguarding with children and young people, but could also be of interest to parents

Kidscape - Helping young people, parents and professionals with the skills to tackle bullying and safeguarding issues across the UK

Childline - Childline is a private and confidential service for children and young people up to the age of 19

NSPCC - The leading children's charity in the UK

Talk to Frank - Advice for young people

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The Gatwick School is an all-through free school located on the Manor Royal estate, on the northern outskirts of Crawley, just south of the Gatwick Airport boundary.

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Courses for parents on supporting Children and Young People

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Courses for parents on supporting Children and Young People

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Find out about the range of adult learning courses on offer across Surrey.

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Support and guidance when someone goes missing.

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Missing People offers a lifeline for the 170,000 people who run away and go missing each year. We also provide support for family and friends.

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We are delighted to have been chosen to benefit from the Cooperative Community Fund for a year. If you have a Co op card membership card or use the membership app, you log on to your account here https://www.coop.co.uk/membership and nominate The Easter Team as your chosen charity.

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FreeShop Crawley – Providing Daily Essentials

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Help and support for people experiencing domestic abuse in Surrey

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WORTH Specialist Domestic Abuse Service

WORTH Specialist Domestic Abuse Service supports people at risk of harm as a result of domestic abuse.

They have teams of IDVAs (independent domestic violence advisors) across West Sussex who work to identify, assess and assist people at risk. If you would like support, or to refer someone for support, use our referral form or the contact details below.

Make a referral to WORTH Services Contact WORTH:

Supporting documents

Below are versions of the same leaflet, In your relationship why are you afraid?, for you to download in a language you understand.

Sussex Police

Sussex Police has specialist units dedicated to tackling domestic abuse.

Emergency contact number:

Or, dial the non-emergency number to report a crime or incident.

Report a crime or incident:

Additional information

The Saturn Centre (SARC)

The Saturn Centre SARC (sexual assault referral centre), based at Crawley Hospital, provides a range of services to women and men who have been raped or sexually assaulted.

It is open for pan-Sussex police referrals 24/7. There is a crisis worker present to support the victim at each referral and a forensic medical examiner on hand to collect the forensic evidence swiftly and effectively.

SARC will link you into, and provide, ongoing support all the way through the criminal justice system, and beyond. You will also be linked into the free counselling available when appropriate.

The Saturn Centre also takes self-referrals between 9.00am-5.00pm, Monday-Friday. This means that anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted can get assistance and support without going to the police.

Contact SARC (24-hour answerphone):

Victim Support

Victim Support is the independent national charity for all victims and witnesses across England and Wales.

It provides free, confidential support and information to help victims and witnesses overcome the effects of crime.

It offers:

emotional support

practical help

signposting to other relevant agencies

help in completing criminal injuries claims resulting from crime.

Contact the South East Helpline:
Men's advice line

Men's advice line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic abuse and those supporting them, offering advice, emotional support and signposting to men who experience abuse.

Opening times

Monday-Friday, 9.00am-8.00pm
Contact the helpline:

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Local support for people being abused - West Sussex County Council

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Find local services that support people who are being abused.

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Content warning: This section includes graphic sexual descriptions.

A nude image must include one of the following to be removed:

nude or semi-nude sexual posing

someone nude or semi-nude touching themselves in a sexual way

any sexual activity involving a child

someone hurting someone else sexually

sexual activity that includes animals.

Where possible, it is better if you can upload the original image or video, or a copy of it, rather than a photograph of it on another screen. This helps IWF find the image more accurately.

If you want to report something that isn't a nude image or video to see if it can be taken down, you can see more information from Childline about deleting things shared online here. You can make a report to CEOP, the part of the police who are there to support children and young people online. You can always speak to a Childline counsellor.

Confirming your age with ID gives us more legal powers to remove images from as many places as possible. If you don't have ID or feel comfortable using it, we can still take down images, but from fewer places.

You can use the following ID to confirm your identity using Yoti:

passport or biometric residence permit

driving licence and provisional licence

Young Scot Card (Yoti app only)

CitizenCard (Yoti app only).

If you don't have any of these, you can get a young person's ID card. You'll be able to get this for £5 with the promo code NSPCC5. Make sure you choose 'Yoti CitizenCard' on the first page.

Whatever ID you use, please make sure that it is valid and in-date.

IWF will read all reports within one working day, from Monday to Friday. The time it takes to get your image removed from the internet can be different depending on where the image is hosted.

If the image is on a UK-based website it can often be removed within 2-3 hours. Unfortunately, in some countries it can take longer - sometimes days or weeks. But IWF analysts will always try to make sure it happens as soon as possible.

We'll do our best to let you know once your image has been removed by sending a message to your  Childline locker.

We recommend you check your locker every few days after you make a report. This is so you can see if your image has been removed, and so Childline can let you know if IWF need more information to be able to remove it. Remember, IWF can't contact you directly.

If you need support to help you cope while you're waiting, you can also speak to a Childline counsellor any time.

When you use Report Remove, your image or video is shared with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). They'll work to get your image removed from the internet. See 'Who are the IWF?' to learn about how that happens.

Most of the time, nobody will know that you've made a report and your report won't be shared with anyone else.

If the police already have the image or video you report, then they might investigate what's happened. Only the police can decide if they'll need to tell someone else.

The police might already have your image or video if:

someone has reported it on another website and that website passed it to the police

they're investigating someone who had or has the image or video already (if someone is found to have your image and is breaking the law - regardless of how, it may be included as evidence in a criminal case against that person

someone else reported the image to them directly.

Remember that the police are there to protect you, not to get you into trouble. If the image has been reported somewhere else and you're worried, you can always  speak to a Childline counsellor.

If you have parental controls on your phone your parent or carer might see when you want to download a new app, so they might get a notification if you try to download Yoti and want to know why. To avoid this, use the second option to prove your age (called 'ID verification').

The IWF can remove images that are public or available to anyone on the internet. However, they won't be able to remove images or videos on encrypted networks like WhatsApp, or which are saved on a person's phone or computer.

If you're over 13 and you've made a report without using ID, then there may be some sites the IWF can't take images down from.

If you don't use ID the IWF can help by removing your image or video from most sites. If you do use ID, the IWF can remove from all sites

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), a UK charity, are there to help remove illegal nude images of under 18s posted online.

Once the IWF has confirmed your nude image is against the law and can be removed from the internet they give it a digital fingerprint called a 'hash'. The hash can be used to find your image online even if it has been cropped or slightly changed.

Sharing just the hash with certain trusted companies and organisations, means that technology can be used to find online matches of the image - this is key to trying to stop it appearing in different places on the internet. Even though the hashes and images are shared with UK police, this is so that if they came across the image some other way, they'd know that you also reported it yourself. Report Remove was developed with the full support of the police and no one involved wants to get you into trouble for sharing the image so it can be removed.

Different companies use the hash in different ways. For example, if an illegal image match is found to have been shared by an online account holder, a company may decide to close that person's account as posting illegal images will be against the company's terms and conditions. If your image(s) are found on or are linked to your online user account(s) it may be possible for the company to associate your profile with the images.

The companies that take the hashes trust the Report Remove process, however if they have significant concerns that the person in the image may not be the person who was age verified, they may get in touch with the IWF to raise their concerns.

There are 3 organisations that help you report your image using Report Remove. These are Childline, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and also Yoti if you are 13 or older and choose to prove your age using ID. All of them have a responsibility to keep all of your personal information safe.

1. We'll ask you to choose your age range (under 13, 13-15, 16-17, 18 and over). If you're under 13, you'll go straight to step 3. If you're aged 13 or older, us at Childline will ask you if you have access to ID to prove your age. If you do, you'll be asked to visit Yoti. The only information we will share with Yoti is that you are wanting to prove your age to use Report Remove.

2. Once you prove your age using Yoti, you will come back to Report Remove on Childline. The only information Yoti will share with Childline is confirmation that you're younger or older than 18.

3. We'll then ask you to create or sign in to a Childline account. Then you'll go to the IWF website to share the content you want removed. Childline will only share the information below with IWF:

that you're younger than 18 (either confirmed by Yoti, or that you told us you are younger than 18),

the age range you selected at the start,

a unique number that is created when you use Report Remove.

4. After your report has been passed to the IWF, they will tell Childline if they were able to work to take the images or video down from the internet, and why. This is so Childline can let you know what happened. IWF may also tell Childline some information about what you reported, to help them know how best to support you and keep you safe. IWF will never share an image or video that you report with Childline.

Information you give to Childline
Any information you give Childline will always be treated carefully and in line with our  Privacy Policy. This means that any information you give us as part of Report Remove will only be used to help the IWF review your report and to keep you safe. This will include the age range that you select and a unique number that's created when you go onto the IWF website. We will not share any of your information with Yoti.
Information you give to IWF
The only information you will give to the IWF are the images, videos or URLs you report. There is space to add information such as where the image or video is on a webpage.

They will process this in line with their privacy policy.

Nude images and videos that IWF decide are illegal may be kept by the IWF for up to 2 years. This is because there is an agreement with the Police and CPS (Crime Prosecution Service), called a 'Memorandum of Understanding' (MOU). Illegal images are given a hash (a string of numbers that are like a digital fingerprint). The hash is shared with organisations such as technology companies who host online content, so that they can look for the image and take it down. The actual image is not shared with these companies. The image and the hash are shared with the police who store it on their Child Abuse Image Database. Any images or videos that they decide are not illegal may be kept for a maximum of 6 months for quality checking and any follow up questions. They will then be deleted. Sometimes, even if it's decided that the content isn't illegal, IWF can share the content URL with some industry members to see if they can take the content down.

If you report a URL (link to a webpage), and choose not to prove your age using ID, IWF will still check to see if the content is something they can take action on. If so IWF may share the URL with South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL), who are a charity who help people who have had intimate images of them shared online. SWGfL will never view the content on a URL that is shared with them. SWGfL send a notice to internet companies that host the webpage you reported, to tell them to take it down. This is because IWF can only send a notice to companies to take a specific webpage down when it is confirmed it is of a child. SWGfL can also send notice to take down content, but they do not need to prove it is of a child. This helps get your images or videos from even more places.

Childline will never see what pictures, videos or URLs you share with the IWF. The only information the IWF shares with Childline apart from your case number is whether or not they could take down your images or videos, and why, so we can let you know, as well as information about the image or video that you reported that will help Childline to support you and keep you safe.

Information you give to Yoti
You can choose to use Yoti to confirm your age if you're over 13. This may involve taking a selfie, so Yoti know it is you who are proving your age, and uploading a picture of some ID. Any personal data you send Yoti - like your photo, date of birth or address - is scrambled with a high level of encryption so that even if it was stolen, no one could use it to identify you. The only information Yoti shares with Childline is confirmation that you're under or over 18.

You can see Yoti's privacy policy here, and more information about their age portal here, which is what is used in Report Remove to prove your age.

If you're using the Yoti app, Yoti may use the selfie, month and year of birth you add to the Yoti app to improve its age estimation technology. You can opt out from this in the More> My Data> Biometric consent menu of the app.

There are lots of ways to get help with your report:

if you're having problems with Yoti, you can contact them directly in the app.

if you need any support with making your report send a message to Childline with the title 'Report Remove'.

Childline counsellors are always here for you and want to help. And you can  talk to them  about anything you're going through.
I have a technical issue, what should I do?

Try using your default browser and close private browsing if you're using the Yoti app.

See if you can log in to your locker and send an email to Childline explaining your problem and the team will be able to help.

Make sure the ID you're using is valid and in-date (not expired).

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Use Report Remove to remove a nude image shared online

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97% of 12-year-olds in Britain have a smartphone.

When children started getting them, there was no research about their impact. Now there is, and it's overwhelming.

Smartphones expose children to harmful content, raise the likelihood of developing a mental illness and are highly addictive.

But parents have been put in an impossible position.

Either we give our children access to something that opens the door to porn, bullying, grooming and the anxiety machine that is social media, or we risk alienating them from their peers.

Regulation hasn't caught up with the technology, so it's parents and children that lose out.

We started Smartphone Free Childhood to give power back to parents, and to kickstart the change society needs.

We've learned over time to restrict alcohol and smoking to certain age groups. Smartphones have been with us for barely 15 years, and now we know their effect, we need to act.

Our mission We're determined to turn the groundswell of public support we've already recieved into real change for our children and future generations. We'll do it by:

🗣️ Growing the national conversation about the harms of smartphones for children.

👩‍🏫 Empowering parents and schools to create change at a local level.

👊 Putting pressure on government and tech companies to help us protect our children.

Just as we marvel at the fact cigarette companies used to market their products as healthy, people will look back on this era and ask why children weren't protected from smartphones.

Let's get together and change the norm.

Sign up to be part of the movement and for the latest updates from our campaign.

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Smartphone Free Childhood is a grassroots movement on a mission to keep childhood smartphone free. We want to connect parents in their local communities so that together they can make a pact not to give their children smartphones until at least 14, or social media before the age of 16.

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Designed and Developed by Will Earp, South West Grid for Learning Trust Ltd

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SWGfL is a charity dedicated to empowering the safe and secure use of technology globally. Find out more about online safety and security on our website

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What we do

Help & advice

Helpful information and guidance on a range of key online safety topics.

The Childnet Film Competition 2024 is open!

Do you know any young people aged 7-18 who are passionate about film? Can they tell a good story, create animation or inspire positive change? Would they like to make a short film about online safety?
Then enter the competition now!

Download brand new interactive resource ReelLife!

An interactive resource to help young people aged 9-14 identify the potential risks of social media.
Check out the resource...

Try out the Childnet Digital Leaders Programme today!

A youth leadership training programme empowering young people to educate their peers about online safety.
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The latest advice and guidance on key online safety issues, as well as information on the latest apps and games.

Free resources to help you teach about online safety.

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Childnet - Online safety for young people

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Helping make the internet a great and safe place for children and young people.

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SPoA- gateway to all mental health support

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SPoA- gateway to all mental health support

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There are lots of services out there, and each service has a different way to access it. Young people, parents, carers and professionals have told us for some time that they find it really difficult to know how to get help for children and young people around their emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Some of these services have come together to look at referrals from children and young people, and work alongside one another to help people access the support they need. This also means the child or young person doesn't have to tell their story multiple times, and can focus on finding the right help, at the right time.

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It's good to see you here! This is the new 'Single Point of Access' (SPOA) page to help young people in West Sussex gain access to the best possible support.

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Fearless: Anonymous Reporting for a Safer Community | Crimestoppers

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Discover Fearless, the innovative anonymous reporting platform by CrimeStoppers UK. With Fearless, you can play a crucial role in ensuring a safer community. Learn how our secure and confidential system empowers individuals to report crime without fear of retaliation. Join us in breaking the silence and making a difference today

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West Sussex Young Carers

School can help you access Young Carers support in your area

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Young carers - West Sussex County Council

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Support, information and advice for carers aged under 18.

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Surrey Young Carers

School can help you access support of Action for Carers

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Young carers (under 18) | Action for Carers

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Support for young carers from Action for Carers Surrey

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A collection of pre-recorded webinars on subjects including autism, eating disorders, anxiety, sleep and managing self harm

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Is This Ok? is a free, anonymous, and confidential service, bringing trained professionals together to provide support to young people through a chat service. You don’t need to provide your real name (a nickname is fine for us!), and we don’t need to know your address.

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Got something you need to talk about? Are you worried that something in your life just doesn't feel right? 'IS THIS OK' is here to help.

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Find out everything you need to know about drugs, their effects and the law. Talk to Frank for facts, support and advice on drugs and alcohol today. | FRANK

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Are you being bullied?

If you are being bullied, or you are not ready to make a report to CEOP, you can talk to Childline anonymously online or on the phone - No worry is too big or too small.

Visit Childline

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Are you being bullied? If you are being bullied, or you are not ready to make a report to CEOP, you can talk to Childline anonymously online or on the phone - No worry is too big or too small. Visit Childline

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Unsure which county to report to.

Childline can help

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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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Report a concern about a child residing in Surrey

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If you think that a child is in immediate danger you should call 999.

If your query or request for support is for an adult (18 years and over), please contact Adult Social Care.

Children's Single Point of Access (C-SPA)

If you are a child or young person being abused or neglected, or an adult who is concerned about a child or young person's safety and wellbeing, you can contact the Children's Services 'Single Point of Access' between 9am to 5pm on Monday to Friday.

For people with hearing or speech impairments:

During evenings, weekends and bank holidays, the Emergency Duty Team is available:

For people with hearing or speech impairments:

Text line: 07800 000388

Text relay (a speech-to-text translation service): 18001 01483 517898

If you have already been in touch with children's social care services and would like to contact your allocated social worker or family support worker directly, please find your local area number below.

Before making a request for support to Children's Services

Please consider if the child or young person's needs can be met by services from professionals who are already working with the family, or whether you could use the Surrey Family Information Service website and Surrey Family Information Directory to find support.

If you are requesting support from Children's Services, please gain consent from the parents or carers beforehand, except where doing so may increase the risk of harm to the child or young person.

Please download and complete the Request for Support Form. Please see our levels of need document for reference as to what level of support applies.

Professionals may use the consultation option given on 0300 470 9100 if they are unsure about the course of action.

C-SPA Child Protection Consultation Line

The Child Protection Consultation Line provides advice and support to professionals to ensure we are able to direct you to the most appropriate service that can meet the child and family's needs.

The Consultation Line is open to all professionals who work with families who live in Surrey.

Availability: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday

Phone: 0300 470 9100 option 3

Concerns about individuals who work or volunteer with children

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) Service manages allegations against individuals in contact with children and young people in an employed or voluntary role. If you have a relevant concern please contact the LADO on 0300 123 1650* or lado@surreycc.gov.uk

Availability: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm

If you have already been in touch with Children's Services and would like to contact your allocated social worker or family support worker directly, please use your local area number. If you are unsure which borough or district you live in, you can find out using your postcode in this search facility.

North-East Surrey: 0300 123 1610

The north east area covers the following three boroughs:

Elmbridge (Esher, Walton on Thames and Weybridge)

Epsom and Ewell (Epsom, Ewell and part of both Stoneleigh and Worcester Park)

Spelthorne (Ashford, Laleham, Shepperton, Staines-upon-Thames, Stanwell and Sunbury-on-Thames)

South-East Surrey: 0300 123 1620

The south east area covers the following three district and boroughs:

North-West Surrey: 0300 123 1630

The north west area covers the following three district and boroughs:

South-West Surrey: 0300 123 1640

The south west area covers the following two boroughs:

* Surrey County Council call charges:
Calls to 03 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number and must count towards any inclusive minutes in a call plan as 01 and 02 calls are. These rules apply to calls from any type of line including mobile, landline or payphone.

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Report a concern about a child or young person

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Suspect a child is at risk of abuse, neglect or harm? Contact the Children's Single Point of Access (C-SPA). In an emergency, call Surrey Police on 999.

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Report an urgent safeguarding concern about a child residing in West Sussex.

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Safeguarding is the protection of a person's health, wellbeing and rights. The Integrated Front Door (IFD) for West Sussex Children Services receive safeguarding enquiries and referrals for children's social care and early help services, including those with disabilities.

The IFD receive enquiries and direct them to the right service for support, ensuring children receive a service in line with their needs as quickly as possible.

Raising an immediate or urgent concern

If you think a child is at immediate risk of harm call 999.

If you are unsure what support you require or have an urgent safeguarding concern that requires a same day response, phone: 01403 229900 (Monday-Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm).

For out of hours enquiries, including weekends and bank holidays, contact our Emergency Duty Team on 033 022 26664.

Other welfare concerns about a child or young person

For all enquiries that are less immediate in nature, use the appropriate link:

Emotional wellbeing or mental health concerns

To request support for a child or young person, use the West Sussex Single Point of Access (SPoA).

The SPoA directs you to the right service. If there are safeguarding concerns as well, contact the IFD.

Concerns about an adult working or volunteering with children

Concerns about inappropriate behaviour of an adult working or volunteering with children are handled by the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Report any such concerns using the LADO referral form on the West Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSSCP) website.

If you want to speak to LADO for advice, contact the team:

Concerns relating to an adult and a child

If you have concerns about a vulnerable adult, you will need to complete an adult safeguarding referral form. Any child linked to the vulnerable adult will need to be referred to Children's Services separately using the IFD portal form.

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Request support or raise a concern about a child - West Sussex County Council

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Request support or raise a concern if you're worried that a child or young person is at risk or is being abused.

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We are lucky enough to have four trained ELSA's at The Gatwick School. I challenge you to find a school with more!

Emotional Literacy Support Assistants can support with:

Social Skills

Bereavement

Anxiety

Low Mood

Healthy Relationships

And much more

Think ELSA might help you? Speak to your Head of Year or a member of the Safeguarding Team

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An educational psychology led intervention for promoting the emotional wellbeing of children and young people. Find out more.

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At The Gatwick School we have the exciting offer of Forest School group interventions for Children with Special Educational Needs or those we worry about.

Our Forest School Leader has been trained by Sussex Wildlife Trust. More about their approach can be found in the link.

Speak to your Head of Year if you would like to know more.

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The Dare2Dream Foundation deliver a wide variety of highly bespoke social and emotional wellbeing, positive behaviour support and alternative education provisions.

Ask Miss Newman what Dare2Dream programmes are running at The Gatwick School!

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Services in Surrey supporting LGBTQ Young people

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LGBT+ includes people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender fluid and/or questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. Young people who identify as LGBT+ can be offered support by youth workers in Surrey to give them a safe space to talk about what matters to them and to be introduced to other young people who are LGBT+.

LGBT+ youth groups

Twister

Youth Workers from Surrey County Council run Twister, which is a safe space where young people can meet to get support, make friends, and take part in fun, creative and awareness raising activities. It is for young people age 13 to 19 and up to 25 if the young adult has special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

Twister is just like any other youth group. The young people choose how they spend their time there, with the main activities including art, crafts, music and cooking. At the start of the session some young people may choose to change into clothes that reflect their gender identity. The friendly feel of the group allows discussions to open up about issues they might be experiencing or worried about, such as bullying, coming out, relationships, civil rights, equality and being a gay and/or transgender person in public.

Joining Twister for the first time

Feeling safe and respected at Twister is important. For this reason, the venues where the groups take place are kept confidential. Before joining Twister, a youth worker will need to meet a young person to make sure the group is right for them. This first meeting can take place in a public place such as a coffee shop, library, youth centre, school or college.

Is parental consent needed to join Twister?

Attending Twister is confidential. The young person doesn't need to tell their parents or friends why they attend the group. Some young people may prefer to travel to a Twister group outside of their local area, if they have not told friends and family about their sexual orientation or gender identity. Any concerns about privacy can be discussed with the youth worker at Twister.

Finding a local Twister group

Some Twister groups have chosen their own name for their group, such as GLEE! in Spelthorne. To find out more about a Twister group or to ask to join, please contact the relevant person from the list below:

Guildford - contact Marie Flude on 07812 758075

GLEE! in Spelthorne - contact Louise Champion on louise.champion@surreycc.gov.uk

South East Surrey - contact Darren Smith on darren.smith@surreycc.gov.uk

Woking - contact Sandie Bolger on 07854 511336

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Eikon

The charity Eikon run a fortnightly youth group called iAmMe in Camberley. The group is for young people who are LGBTQ, and between the ages of 11 and 19 years old. In the sessions young people have the opportunity to meet others, get advice and be signposted to other services when needed. At iAmMe young people take part in activities such as games, darts, cooking and just relaxing with friends.

There is also a iAmMe Trans group for young people who are transgender, which runs once a month.

Due to the confidential nature of the groups, the Senior Youth Worker, Shaffrina Barker will need to first meet a young person who is interested in joining iAmMe. You can contact Shaffrina by email on shaffrina.barker@eikon.org.uk
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Emotional support for LGBT+ young people

Counselling for young people is available through the NHS CAMHS service, private therapists and charities across Surrey. It can be helpful for young people to talk to someone outside of their family about things they are struggling with. If you need help finding local support, please use the FIS directory or contact us.

CYP Havens are in Guildford, Epsom, Staines and Redhill. CYP Haven is for young people aged 10-18 where they can talk about worries and mental health in a confidential, friendly and supportive environment.

Kooth is a website offering free and confidential online counselling for young people.

Switchboard is an LGBT+ Helpline, where all the volunteers who answer the calls are also LGBT+. Callers can discuss any concerns they have, including coming out and relationships.

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Information for LGBT+ young people

Young people may want to read about the things that affect them online. Information about coming out, meeting other people who are LGBT+ and having healthy relationships can be found on the websites below:

The Mix gives essential information and advice to people under 25 years old, on topics ranging from mental health to homelessness.

Outline is a service in Surrey that has a telephone helpline and email service for people who want to discuss any issues about their sexuality or gender identity.

Stonewall aims to change attitudes across the UK to improve the lives of LGBT+ people.

The Albert Kennedy Trust supports young LGBT+ people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. They also support young people living at home when their family haven't accepted that they are LGBT+.

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Support for parents of children who are LGBT+

Advice and support is available for parents of children and young people who are LGBT+. The services below provide information on a range of LGBT+ issues that you might find useful:

Eikon run monthly peer support groups in the borough of Surrey Heath for parents of children who are LGBT+.

FFLAG stands for Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Supportive guides are available on how to support your child, of any age, before and after they have come out.

Stonewall have published a downloadable guide called So you think you child is gay to help parents who feel their child is gay but hasn't come out yet.

Family Lives have information about how to support your child if they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

Mermaids supports people who are transgender and their parents. They have an online forum and helpline for parents who want to know more, or share their experiences about raising a transgender child.

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Supporting LGBT+ children in school

Resources for schools to support LGBT+ pupils and raise awareness of LGBT+ issues:

Healthy Schools Surrey provides advice and resources for teaching young people about sex and relationships in PSHE lessons.

Gires is the Gender Identity Research & Education Society who have produced an e-learning module for Surrey schools called Caring for gender nonconforming young people.

Stonewall run courses to help schools to become more inclusive and to support transgender children.

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LGBT+ includes people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender fluid and/or questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity. Young people who identify as LGBT+ can be offered support by youth workers in Surrey to give them a safe space to talk about what matters to them and to be introduced to other young people who are LGBT+.

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LGBTQ Support for West Sussex Children and Young People

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We are a national voluntary organisation and charity dedicated to supporting families and their LGBT+ loved ones.

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A national voluntary organisation and charity dedicated to supporting parents and their lesbian, gay, bisexual and Trans sons and daughters

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The Children and Young Persons Therapeutic Service is a free and confidential service for children and young people in West Sussex. We offer a therapeutic service for children and young adults aged 5-18 years who have been affected by a parent, carer or sibling's substance misuse.

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We will support you on your journey.

The Children and Young Persons Therapeutic Service is a free and confidential service for children and young people in West Sussex. We offer a therapeutic service for children and young adults aged 5-18 years who have been affected by a parent, carer or sibling's substance misuse.

We work from a variety of locations in West Sussex. Please contact us to for more information.

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Children & Young Persons Therapeutic Service -West Sussex | Change Grow Live

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We will support you on your journey. The Children and Young Persons Therapeutic Service is a free and confidential service for children and young people in West Sussex. We offer a therapeutic service for children and young adults aged 5-18 years who have been affected by a parent, carer or sibling's substance misuse.

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Based in Horley Surrey, but accessible for Young People from both counties, the YMCA WAVES is a tried and trusted partner of The Gatwick School.

They have trained students to be Mental Health Champions and offer a range of opportunities for Young People.

YMCA Waves provide a safe space for young people who are experiencing or have experienced mental health difficulties. Sessions are currently online. All sessions are free of charge.

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Our sessions provide a safe space for young people aged between 13-19 who are experiencing or have experienced emotional health difficulties. You can talk in complete confidence to others with similar experiences, take part in activities, as well as build friendships and support networks with others.

Mondays | Reigate
15:45-17:15 (term-time only)
YMCA Sovereign Centre, Slipshatch Road, Reigate, RH2 8HA

Tuesdays | Oxted
15:45-17:15 (term-time only)
Harry's Youth Centre 181-183, Station Road East Oxted Surrey, RH8 0QE

Wednesdays | Tadworth
15:30-17:30 (term-time only)
Phoenix Youth Centre, Preston Manor Road, Tadworth KT20 5FB

Thursdays | Horley
15:45-17:15 (term-time only)
YMCA Horley Young People and Family Centre, The Old Fire Station, Albert Road, Horley, RH6 7JA

Fridays | Redhill
15:45-17:15 (term-time only)
The Annexe, The Redhill Centre, 132-138 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1ET (Access is through the back gate on Fairfax Avenue)

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WAVES is a youth group with a difference. We provide a safe space for young people who are experiencing or have experienced emotional health difficulties. Our sessions give you a chance to talk in complete confidence to others with similar experiences, take part in activities, combat stigma and build friendships and support networks with others.

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The support of trained youth workers, expert professionals and community volunteers give the organisation a family feel where young people can learn practical and emotional life skills in a non-threatening, low risk environment.

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Crawley Community Youth Services - Enjoy Being Young

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Founded in 2011 to deliver universal youth services, CCYS is a community driven youth service, open to all. At CCYS we believe that all young people are entitled to resources, opportunities and advice.

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Find out more about the launch of the Youth Advice Centre and YMCA work in the community

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YMCA YAC (Youth Advice Centre) in Crawley was officially launched on 10 October with a showcase event, also marking World Mental Health Day and the relaunch of the newly renovated YMCA Crawley Foyer.

With the sun shining, Crawley Mayor and Mayoress Raj and Bhavna Sharma, along with guests from our local community, joined residents, former residents and staff to enjoy what turned out to be a fantastic day, full of workshops, activities and even an October BBQ!

Local stakeholders Jace Training, Crawley College, Relate, Find it Out, Employ Crawley and West Sussex Community Mental Health Liaison Service had stalls providing information regarding their services. Members of Diverse Crawley helped us to celebrate Black History month, delivering a Cultural Kitchen cookery demonstration, featuring poetry and stories with flavours of the Chagos Islands for us all to try. After the light lunch, guests were invited to take part in a Mindful Movement exercise class, while residents supported tours of the facilities and chatted with guests about the support and opportunities YMCA Crawley offers to young people in the area.

The young people supported the delivery of a music workshop, showed people our new tranquility garden- complete with water feature and bird houses nestled among the trees and cooked on the BBQ, serving burgers and bangers to the many guests with energy and enthusiasm.

The day also allowed us to build stronger partnerships with services willing to offer weekly training and support sessions in house at YMCA Crawley Foyer, as well as raising £139.50 through donations, a Tombola and a Raffle, with a range of fabulous prizes donated by staff members and local businesses.

"It was wonderful to hear and see residents talking proudly about where they live and what is provided for them to help them reach their full potential and to see the services our local community provides to support them," said Sharon Rawcliffe, Deputy Manager of YMCA Crawley Foyer.

"The day was a complete success and it really was great to see so many people attending, taking part in activities, enjoying themselves and chatting together. It was particularly good to see a few ex-residents come along to say hello and see how things have progressed," added Lee Scott, Programme Coordinator.

Mayor Raj is also keen to support us further and has agreed to do a sponsored skydive in March 2020 to raise money for YMCA Crawley. He has persuaded Sharon to join him!

YMCA Crawley Foyer and YMCA YAC in Crawley would like to say a huge thank you to all who helped make this day such a success, along with a very special thank you to Beauty Secrets, Horsham, Handcross Butchers, Grange Farm, Turners Hill, The Hawth Theatre, Jimmy Chop Chop and New House Farm, Horsham for their generous donations to the Raffle and to New Street Butchers, Horsham for providing the Bangers & Burgers at such a wonderfully discounted rate.

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YMCA YAC in Crawley officially launched! - YMCA DownsLink Group

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YMCA YAC (Youth Advice Centre) in Crawley was officially launched on 10 October with a showcase event, also marking World Mental Health Day and the relaunch of the newly renovated YMCA Crawley Foyer.

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Free counselling service and ewellbeing resources to support young peoples mental health

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Current Group

We are currently running a group for parents whose child or young person is accessing therapy through our Dialogue services.

Although there is the beginning of a sea change in the way we view mental health and the stigma surrounding it, young people and their families are still struggling to get the vital help they need. Those who have teenagers with mental health problems seem to be particularly isolated. Yet parents are likely to be a big part of the solution as far as successful outcomes for young people are concerned.

This group will provide advice for parents to successfully navigate crises, avoid escalating the situation, and understand the young person's needs in the home.

This group is for parents to support and assist in knowing where to go for help
The programme will comprise of sessions two hours each, once a week for 6 weeks. Each week will focus on different emotional and mental health difficulties young people can face.
How to access this service

If you are interested in attending one of our parent programmes, please click here to make a referral.

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YMCA Dialogue counselling services - YMCA DownsLink Group

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Current Group We are currently running a group for parents whose child or young person is accessing therapy through our Dialogue services. Although there is the beginning of a sea change in the way we view mental health and the stigma surrounding it, young people and their families are still struggling to get the vital help they need.

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Free wellbeing support and counselling services

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Youth Emotional Support (YES) service - West Sussex County Council

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How to access free wellbeing support for 11 to 18 year olds.

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Counselling service offering Free counselling to young people in need

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It was nice to be able to talk to someone I didn't really know, and talk about my worries without being judged.

The counsellor listened to me and provided achievable and realistic methods of coping for me.

Amazing life changing service. The fact the quality available for free is fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone who is in a similar situation to me. The service has changed my outlook on life and for that I feel I owe a great deal to Step by Step.

The people are lovely. They listen to your concerns and they help with many different worries.

My counsellor really listened to me and didn't judge me. I trusted her and felt I could talk about anything.

If you're aged between 11 and 25, having a hard time, finding things are getting on top of you, or feeling stress, anxious, or down, counselling may be for you.

Depending where you live, you may access counselling support in different ways:

If you are registered with a GP in Surrey and are aged 11-25, you will have to visit your GP, speak to a teacher or speak to a social worker and request a counselling referral to Step by Step via CAMHS Single Point of Access.

If you are registered with a GP in Hampshire and are aged 11-17, you can self-refer to our service by completing ourOnline Referral Form.

The Counselling service is here for people in North Hampshire and South West Surrey. Sessions are held at various locations including Aldershot, Haslemere, Guildford, Godalming, and Frimley.

If you need urgent help or are in crisis, we would recommend that you contact the following:

NHS Mental Health Crisis Line - 0300 456 83 42

Child Line - 0800 1111

Samaritans - 116 123

We would also recommend visiting your local Safe Haven

Adult (18+):
North Hampshire and Surrey
Child & Young Person:

Please refer to the document panel for more information.

Last Year...

2,199

Counselling appointments were delivered.

593

young people received Counselling support.

427

chat sessions were delivered by our Youth AIMS advice service.

£58.00

could provide a young person with a specialist counselling session.

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Free Youth Counselling Services for Young People

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It was nice to be able to talk to someone I didn't really know, and talk about my worries without being judged. The counsellor listened to me and provided achievable and realistic methods of coping for me. Amazing life changing service.

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In partnership with Mindsight Surrey CAMHS, Heads Together offer counselling services

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Heads Together counselling - YMCA East Surrey

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Heads Together counselling service is currently not offering face-to-face counselling. However, we are able to offer telephone counselling or video meetings through Zoom. If you or your child is on the waiting list for counselling, the team will be in touch with you shortly.

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A Safe Place to get support when I am feeling distressed and worried about how I am feeling
Over the phone and drop in service for young people needing mental health support and advice

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Welcome to the CYP Haven, a mental health and wellbeing drop-in service for young people aged 10-18

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Help and support for bullying and cyberbullying
Young People and Parent/Carer

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Advice for parents and carers to help keep children safe from bullying, wherever it happens.

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Information and support for Mental Health difficulties

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Information for young people on mental health and wellbeing

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If you’re struggling with how you’re feeling, it can be really scary and upsetting. Our information will help you find the support you deserve for your mental health.

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Contact the school nursing team for help and advice on:

Feeding and nutrition

Behaviour and Sleep management

Parenting issues

Maternal mental health

Emotional health

Child protection issues

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West Sussex School Nurse Texting service

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Text: 07480 635424

Website http://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/chathealth

Additional Information

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust's school nurse messaging service provides confidential support and advice on any health issues from a school nurse via text messages.

The service is available for young people aged 11-19 who attend secondary school by texting 07480 635424. The service is available Monday-Friday 9.00am to 4.30pm throughout the year. If a text is sent outside of these hours, an automated message will be sent with advice on where to get help.

The service covers a wide range of issues such as bullying, emotional health and wellbeing, healthy relationships , sleeping, eating and drug and alcohol issues.

Related links http://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/wssn

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Website http://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/chathealth Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust's school nurse messaging service provides confidential support and advice on any health issues from a school nurse via text messages. The service is available for young people aged 11-19 who attend secondary school by texting 07480 635424. The service is available Monday-Friday 9.00am to 4.30pm throughout the year.

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Wellbeing advice and messenger counselling service

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

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Raise a concern
Need some advice
Access Free over the phone counselling

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Chat with a counsellor online about whatever's worrying you. Update from Childline We're working a little differently because of coronavirus. You can speak to a counsellor every day from 7:30am - 3:30am.

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Young People's Mental Health support.
Crisis Text Line YM to 85258

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YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

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YoungMinds are a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents, making sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.

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National parenting service- Family Lives

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National parenting service- Family Lives

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Advice and support on a wide range of parenting matters

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Parenting and Family Support - Family Lives (Parentline Plus) | Family Lives

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Parenting and family support from Family Lives (formerly Parentline Plus) through our website, helpline 0808 800 2222, email service at askus@familylives.org.uk, live chat and local services.

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Effective Early Help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child's life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years. Early Help can also prevent further problems arising
cspa@surreycc.gov.uk
0300 470 9100

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In Surrey, our approach to ensuring children, young people and families receive the right early support, at the right time by the right service is changing.

We know that providing early help is more effective in promoting family resilience than reacting later. Effective Early Help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child's life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years. Early Help can also prevent further problems arising; for example, if it is provided as part of a support plan where a child has returned home to their family from care, or in families where there are emerging parental mental health issues or drug and alcohol issues. (Working Together 2018).

Effective Early Help relies upon local organisations and agencies working together to:

identify children and families who would benefit from early help

undertake an assessment of the need for early help

provide targeted early help services to address the assessed needs of a child and their family which focuses on activity to improve the outcomes for the child

The majority of families will be able to access universal services and are encouraged to make use of the Family Information Service to identify services in the community that may be able to support them and the needs of their children.

Any practitioner, child, young person or family member can directly access the Family Information Directory. This provides a detailed list of a variety of services that are available in the community by typing in a keyword search.

Helping Families Early Webinar

The Helping Families Early Webinar was recorded in November 2020. The webinar introduces Surrey's revised Early Help Assessment, guidance and training for practitioners. You can download a full transcript of the Helping Families Early webinar or watch the webinar below.

View on YouTube

Files available to download

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In Surrey, our approach to ensuring children, young people and families receive the right early support, at the right time by the right service is changing. We know that providing early help is more effective in promoting family resilience than reacting later.

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Mentors from the programme work with young people within the school to support them to be valued members of the community

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AudioActive is a non-profit organisation that creates social change through music and develops emerging talent.

Since forming in 1999, AudioActive has built a unique community in Brighton and across Sussex. Our team of musicians and music lovers restlessly develop artists and reach the sort of arch young talents that so often fall through the cracks.

Our Vision

Our vision is better futures through and for music.

Everything we do is free to access. Our drop-in sessions, workshops, shows and social initiatives exist to enable young people and emerging artists of all backgrounds to fulfil their potential.

OUR VISION

Our Impact

In 2019/20, AudioActive reached 1157 Young People with free music services.

We are proud to have played a part in the journey of many Sussex musicians, such as Rizzle Kicks, Celeste, SpectraSoul, Frankie Stew & Harvey Gunn, ArrDee and many more.

OUR IMPaCT

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Get involved.

If you're looking to access our free music projects, then you're in the right place.

Get Involved

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Since forming in 1999, AudioActive has built a unique community in Brighton and across Sussex. Our team of musicians and music lovers restlessly develop artists and reach the sort of arch young talents that so often fall through the cracks. Our vision is better futures through and for music.

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Working with Schools to promote healthy relationships and educate young people about domestic violence.

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Working with health care and community outreach professionals including social workers, volunteer community workers and GPs. We rely on our professional and volunteer partners to help us reach people affected by domestic violence who may need our help.

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In the new way of working all enquiries/referrals for both Social Care and Early Help will come through our single front door referred to as the Integrated Front Door (IFD), this will be the only public contact point for Early Help and Children’s Social Care.  The IFD for West Sussex Children Services will ensure that all enquiries and referrals are triaged upon receipt and directed to the appropriate service to support with the query, providing a seamless process with children receiving a service proportionate to their needs in a timely way.

This expertise of the team comprises of qualified Early Help specialists, qualified Social Care specialists, qualified managers, Customer Service Centre Agents and social care referral advisors.

The new contact details for the IFD which goes live on 29 January 2021 are as follows:-

Telephone number: 01403 229900

Email address: WSChildrenservices@westsussex.gov.uk

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Based in Horley Surrey, but accessible for Young People from both counties, the YMCA WAVES is a tried and trusted partner of The Gatwick School.

They have trained students to be Mental Health Champions and offer a range of opportunities for Young People.

YMCA Waves provide a safe space for young people who are experiencing or have experienced mental health difficulties. Sessions are currently online. All sessions are free of charge.

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Our sessions provide a safe space for young people aged between 13-19 who are experiencing or have experienced emotional health difficulties. You can talk in complete confidence to others with similar experiences, take part in activities, as well as build friendships and support networks with others.

Mondays | Reigate
15:45-17:15 (term-time only)
YMCA Sovereign Centre, Slipshatch Road, Reigate, RH2 8HA

Tuesdays | Oxted
15:45-17:15 (term-time only)
Harry's Youth Centre 181-183, Station Road East Oxted Surrey, RH8 0QE

Wednesdays | Tadworth
15:30-17:30 (term-time only)
Phoenix Youth Centre, Preston Manor Road, Tadworth KT20 5FB

Thursdays | Horley
15:45-17:15 (term-time only)
YMCA Horley Young People and Family Centre, The Old Fire Station, Albert Road, Horley, RH6 7JA

Fridays | Redhill
15:45-17:15 (term-time only)
The Annexe, The Redhill Centre, 132-138 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1ET (Access is through the back gate on Fairfax Avenue)

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WAVES is a youth group with a difference. We provide a safe space for young people who are experiencing or have experienced emotional health difficulties. Our sessions give you a chance to talk in complete confidence to others with similar experiences, take part in activities, combat stigma and build friendships and support networks with others.