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This page is for parents - if you are a teacher, click here

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Community Food Marker

Fighting hunger, poverty and food waste.
Supporting wellness, recovery and inclusion.

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Access information and resources for parents and carers on keeping your child safer online including conversation starters and video guides.

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Help your children get the most out of the internet

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Access information and resources for parents and carers on keeping your child safer online including conversation starters and video guides.

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If you are worried about your child's mental health or emotional well-being please read this Keep Safe Plan for useful tips and advice on how to support your children and keep them safe.

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Mental Health Services for Children and Young People in Wigan

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Mental Health Services for Children and Young People in Wigan

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One stop guide for services available to residents within the Wigan Borough

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One stop guide for services available to residents within the Wigan Borough

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Features

Our Town Directory brings together local support and things to do in the community whether you are living, visiting or working in the Wigan Borough.

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Things to do

Directory Disclaimer

Wigan Council do not carry out suitability checks, we strongly recommended that you always check with providers that their service or activity meets your requirements. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided in this directory, we do not accept any responsibility or liability for any errors that have occurred. There are links within the directory that take you to external websites which are not managed by Wigan Council therefore we have no control of their content. We offer an impartial service and we cannot recommend or endorse any providers listed.

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HomeOur Town Directory brings together local support and things to do in the community whether you are living, visiting or working in the Wigan Borough.

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Safeguarding Bulletin - Edition 1.  22nd September 2023

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Safeguarding Bulletin - Edition 1.  22nd September 2023

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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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Internet Watch Foundation.   "Self Generated" child sexual abuse prevention campaign.   

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Internet Watch Foundation.   "Self Generated" child sexual abuse prevention campaign.   

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TALK and Gurls Out Loud 'self-generated' child sexual abuse prevention campaign

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The IWF campaign aims to empower girls, and warn their parents and carers about the risks posed by online predators targeting children.

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Internet Watch Foundation campaign for parents to T.A.L.K

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Internet Watch Foundation campaign for parents to T.A.L.K

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TALK Checklist by Internet Watch Foundation

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TALK Checklist by Internet Watch Foundation | Home

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Make sure your home doesn't have an open door to child sexual abusers. Follow the TALK checklist to help keep your child safe online.

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Safeguarding Bulletin 7 - Suicide awareness, Andrew Tate and Hate Crime

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Safeguarding Bulletin 7 - Suicide awareness, Andrew Tate and Hate Crime

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Safeguarding bulletin 5 - Young carers and Sexual abuse

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Safeguarding bulletin 5 - Young carers and Sexual abuse

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Safeguarding bulletin 4 - vaping, online safety, misogyny

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Safeguarding bulletin 4 - vaping, online safety, misogyny

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Safeguarding briefing 1 - starting school

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Safeguarding briefing 1 - starting school

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Safeguarding bulletin 6 - discussing suicide

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Safeguarding bulletin 6 - discussing suicide

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BTP PARENT GUARDIAN SAFETY LETTER   Atherton (1)

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Find Help For My Child's Feelings And Behaviour

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If your child's feelings or behaviours are concerning you, we have information and advice that can really help.

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Spotting the first signs of symptoms of an eating disorder is extremely important when encouraging individuals to get the help and support they need as quickly as possible. That's why we've created our tips campaign - giving you the tips to spot those very first signs of an eating disorder.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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The use of e-cigarettes is unsafe for kids, teens, and young adults.

Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues into the early to mid-20s.1

E-cigarettes can contain other harmful substances besides nicotine.

Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.

Find Data on E-cigarette Use Among Youth

E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air.

E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes. Most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid.

Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. Larger devices such as tank systems, or "mods," do not look like other tobacco products.

E-cigarettes are known by many different names. They are sometimes called "e-cigs," "e-hookahs," "mods," "vape pens," "vapes," "tank systems," and "electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS)."

Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called "vaping."

Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.
Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items.

E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol.

The liquid used in e-cigarettes often contains nicotine and flavorings. This liquid is sometimes called "e-juice," "e-liquid," "vape juice," or "vape liquid."

Users inhale e-cigarette aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales it into the air.

E-cigarette devices can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.

News outlets and social media sites report widespread use of JUUL by students in schools, including classrooms and bathrooms.

JUUL is a brand of e-cigarette that is shaped like a USB flash drive. Like other e-cigarettes, JUUL is a battery-powered device that heats a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an aerosol that is inhaled.

All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine. According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.2

JUUL is one of a few e-cigarettes that use nicotine salts, which allow particularly high levels of nicotine to be inhaled more easily and with less irritation than the free-base nicotine that has traditionally been used in tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

News outlets and social media sites report widespread use of JUUL by students in schools, including classrooms and bathrooms.

Approximately two-thirds of JUUL users aged 15 - 24 do not know that JUUL always contains nicotine.

Although JUUL is currently the top-selling e-cigarette brand in the United States, other companies sell e-cigarettes that look like USB flash drives. Examples include the MarkTen Elite, a nicotine delivery device, and the PAX Era, a marijuana delivery device that looks like JUUL.

Additional information about USB-shaped e-cigarettes and actions that parents, educators, and health care providers can take to protect kids is available at CDC's Infographic [PDF - 1.2MB]

Most e-cigarettes (vapes) contain nicotine-the addictive drug in regular cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products.

A CDC study found that 99% of the e-cigarettes sold in assessed venues in the United States contained nicotine.1

Some vape product labels do not disclose that they contain nicotine, and some vape liquids marketed as containing 0% nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.

Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain.2 The brain keeps developing until about age 25.

Using nicotine in adolescence can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control.2

Each time a new memory is created or a new skill is learned, stronger connections - or synapses - are built between brain cells. Young people's brains build synapses faster than adult brains. Nicotine changes the way these synapses are formed.

Using nicotine in adolescence may also increase risk for future addiction to other drugs.2

When a person is dependent on (or addicted to) nicotine and stops using it, their body and brain have to get used to not having nicotine. This can result in temporary symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include irritability, restlessness, feeling anxious or depressed, trouble sleeping, problems concentrating, and craving nicotine.3 People may keep using tobacco products to help relieve these symptoms.4

Youth may turn to vaping to try to deal with stress or anxiety, creating a cycle of nicotine dependence. But nicotine addiction can be a source of stress.

What may start as social experimentation can become an addiction.

The most common reason U.S. middle and high school students give for trying an e-cigarette is "a friend used them." 5

The most common reason youth give for continuing to use e-cigarettes is "I am feeling anxious, stressed, or depressed." 5

Youth e-cigarette and cigarette use have been associated with mental health symptoms such as depression.9, 10

Yes. As long as a person stays quit, withdrawal symptoms will fade over time as the brain gets used to not having nicotine.

Scientists are still learning about the effects of quitting vaping on mental health. Quitting smoking cigarettes is associated with lower levels of anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as improved positive mood and quality of life.9

Scientists are still learning about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes.

Some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could also be harmful to the lungs in the long-term. For example, some e-cigarette flavorings may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the gut can process more substances than the lungs.1

Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused some fires and explosions, a few of which have resulted in serious injuries.

Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes. Nationally, approximately 50% of calls to poison control centers for e-cigarettes are for kids 5 years of age or younger.

E-cigarette aerosol is NOT harmless "water vapor."

The e-cigarette aerosol that users breathe from the device and exhale can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including:

Nicotine

Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs

Flavorings such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease

Volatile organic compounds

Cancer-causing chemicals

Heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead1

The aerosol that users inhale and exhale from e-cigarettes can expose both themselves and bystanders to harmful substances.

It is difficult for consumers to know what e-cigarette products contain. For example, some e-cigarettes marketed as containing zero percent nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.3

E-cigarettes come in various flavors, including fruit, candy, mint, and menthol.

A study from 2013-2014 showed that most youth who use e-cigarettes first start with a flavored variety, and flavors are the primary reason youth report using e-cigarettes.6

In 2023, most youth who reported using e-cigarettes used flavored varieties (89.4%). Among middle and high school students who currently used any type of flavored e-cigarette in 2023, the most commonly used flavors were fruit (63.4%), candy, desserts, or other sweets (35%), mint (27.8%), and menthol (20.1%).11

On January 2, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized an enforcement policy that prohibits the sale of prefilled cartridge e-cigarettes in any flavor other than tobacco or menthol, unless authorized by FDA. FDA has since taken additional steps to prohibit certain companies from selling youth-appealing, flavored disposable e-cigarettes and flavored e-liquids without authorization.7

Several states and communities have restricted the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol-flavored products.8

E-cigarettes are also advertised using the same themes and tactics that have been shown to increase youth initiation of other tobacco products, including cigarettes. In 2021, approximately 76% of students reported exposure to tobacco product marketing through traditional sources and approximately 74% of students who used social media had seen e-cigarette-related posts or content.12

Widespread advertising for e-cigarettes, including via media for which advertising for conventional tobacco products is prohibited (e.g., TV), and the lower costs of some e-cigarettes relative to regular cigarettes has contributed to use among youth.1

Many youth also report using e-cigarettes because they are curious about these products.1

Many young people who use e-cigarettes also smoke cigarettes.1 There is some evidence that young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.

Specifically, a 2018 National Academy of Medicine report found that there was some evidence that e-cigarette use increases the frequency and amount of cigarette smoking in the future.4

E-cigarettes also can be used to deliver other drugs, including marijuana; in 2016, approximately one-third of U.S. middle and high school students who have ever used an e-cigarette reported using marijuana in the device.

But e-cigarette use among young people is still unsafe, even if they do not progress to future cigarette smoking.

E-cigarettes expose users to fewer harmful chemicals than burned cigarettes.1

But burned cigarettes are very dangerous, killing half of all people who smoke long-term.

The use of any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe for young people.

Yes. In August 2016, the regulatory authority of the FDA was extended to cover e-cigarettes through the agency's "deeming rule."

Through authority granted by the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FSPTCA), FDA has authority to develop regulations that address the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of e-cigarettes.

There are some strategies that the FDA does not have authority to implement, such as including e-cigarettes in smoke-free policies or increasing the minimum legal sales age for these products, unless directed to do so by Congress. However, the FSPTCA does not prevent states and communities from including e-cigarettes in smoke-free policies or from regulating the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes. These types of strategies can include further raising the minimum legal sales age, licensing retailers, implementing price policies, and restricting or prohibiting the sale of tobacco products.

Yes. In 2018, the FDA expanded its successful youth tobacco prevention campaign, "The Real Cost," to reach the more than 10 million youth aged 12-17 who have used e-cigarettes or are open to trying them. The campaign educates youth about the potential risks of using e-cigarettes.

The "Real Cost" reaches teens where they spend most of their time: in school and online. The campaign is also placing e-cigarette prevention materials in high schools across the nation, both in school bathrooms and on educational digital platforms accessed by students during the school day.

Heated tobacco products (HTPs) like IQOS and Eclipse, sometimes marketed as "heat-not-burn" technology, represent a diverse class of products that heat the tobacco leaf to produce an inhaled aerosol. They are different from e-cigarettes, which heat a liquid that can contain nicotine derived from tobacco.

HTPs are available in at least 40 countries and several have been authorized for sale in the United States by the FDA. In 2018, few U.S. adults (2.4% of all surveyed, including 6.7% of people who currently smoke surveyed) had ever used HTPs. In 2023, 1.0% of U.S. middle and high school students, combined, reported having used heated tobacco products in the past 30 days.11

Scientists are still learning about the short-term and long-term health effects of HTPs, but the available science shows they contain harmful and potentially harmful ingredients. Youth use of any tobacco products, including heated products, is unsafe.

It is important that we continue to modernize proven tobacco prevention and control strategies to include newer products entering the market such as HTPs.

Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It's never too late.

Set a good example by being tobacco-free and ensure that your kid is not exposed to the secondhand emissions from any tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

If you use tobacco, it's never too late to quit. For free help, visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

Talk to your child or teen about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them. It's never too late.

Get the Talk With Your Teen About E-cigarettes [PDF - 5.2MB] tip sheet for parents. Start the conversation early with children about why e-cigarettes are harmful for them.

Let your child know that you want them to stay away from all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, because they are not safe for them. Seek help and get involved.

Set up an appointment with your child's health care provider so that they can hear from a medical professional about the health risks of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes.

Speak with your child's teacher and school administrator about enforcement of tobacco-free school grounds policies and tobacco prevention curriculum.

Encourage your child to learn the facts and get tips for quitting tobacco products at Teen.smokefree.gov.

Fact Sheet for Educators:

Conversation Card for Educators:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Smoking Cessation: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2020 [accessed 2022 April 4].

Truth Initiative Mental Health x Vaping Headline Survey Internal Data - August 2021.

Gentzke AS, Wang TW, Cornelius M, et al. Tobacco Product Use and Associated Factors Among Middle and High School Students - National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2021. MMWR Surveill Summ 2022;71(No. SS-5):1-29. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss7105a1.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking-50 years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014.

Birdsey J, Cornelius M, Jamal A, et al. Tobacco Product Use Among U.S. Middle and High School Students - National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023; 72(44);1173-1182.

Cooper M, Park-Lee E, Ren C, Cornelius M, Jamal A, Cullen KA. Notes from the Field: E-cigarette Use Among Middle and High School Students - United States, 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:1283-1285. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7140a3

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Quick Facts on the Risks of E-cigarettes for Young People

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Learn quick facts on the risks of e-cigarettes for kids, teens, and young adults, including how they work, why nicotine is unsafe, what is in e-cigarette aerosol, and resources for parents to prevent their child from using e-cigarettes or help them stop.

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If you have any concerns at all about a child's safety or wellbeing, don't hesitate to contact the NSPCC Helpline on

0808 800 5000

or email help@nspcc.org.uk

The dedicated NSPCC child protection specialist you talk to will know what to do next and will take any necessary action. It's never too soon to speak out when a child needs help. Even if you're unsure, if you're worried, the best thing to do is to talk to a trained professional. Your call could protect a child from experiencing sexual abuse.

If you think a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999.

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Could you spot the signs of child sexual abuse? Get confidential advice and support to help keep your child safe.

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Useful information for parents and carers about County Lines

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Useful information for parents and carers about County Lines

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County lines is not a new thing. You may have heard about it on the news or in TV shows like Hollyoaks. But beyond the headlines and scripts, it's a stark reality for many young people. Here we unpack the truth about county lines and how we work to restore the hopes of children being forced to carry drugs across the country.

What does county lines mean?

County lines is a form of criminal exploitation. It is when criminals befriend children, either online of offline, and then manipulate them into drug dealing. The 'lines' refer to mobile phones that are used to control a young person who is delivering drugs, often to towns outside their home county.
Here are some things you might not know about county lines exploitation:

County lines is everywhere

County lines facts

of English police forces have seen county lines activity in their area and the violence is getting worse.

parents are worried about county lines in their local area.

county lines is everywhere

We work with children from London, Birmingham and Greater Manchester who have been trafficked all over the country to other big cities as well as smaller towns. We also work with professionals across various counties.

In Northumberland, our Prevention Team highlighted how easy it was to find the details of children in residential care. Exploiters could easily identify potential victims with a simple online search, putting many children at risk. This is now changing. Public information is being reviewed and more children are being safeguarded.

Children are not the problem

This may sound obvious but only recently has there been some recognition of the fact that a child caught up in county lines is a victim of exploitation. Often they are treated as criminals, not victims. Fortunately, attitudes are changing. However, gender, age, ethnicity and background can still affect how professionals respond to children.

We work hard so any child affected by county lines gets the support they need to escape a life of exploitation. We train police, social workers and other professionals so they can better respond to children and make them feel safe rather than criminalised.

County lines is visible

County lines operations are often hard to spot, but the signs are visible. We could all be in a position to stop it.

You might notice a child has multiple mobiles, comes home with unexplained injuries or bruising, suddenly has new trainers they can't afford. These could all be indicators that a young person is in trouble. We encourage everyone to learn the signs of exploitation and how to report it if worried.
Young people can and should live a life free of exploitation. Together we can help them break free from their abusers and face their future with confidence.

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County lines is a form of exploitation in which criminals groom and manipulate children into drug dealing. It's big in the UK. Find out more.

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Local authority website web: www.wigan.gov.uk Wigan Borough Domestic Abuse Service Name of service: Wigan Borough Domestic Abuse Service Opening hours: Monday to Friday between 7am & 7pm Contact number: 01942 311 365 Contact email: admin@diasdvc.org Website: www.diasdvc.org Who they sup…

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Calm Harm is a free app to help teenagers manage the urge to self-harm. Available on Google Play & App Store.

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

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Resources - The BeYou Project - Porchlight

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

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Struggling with attendance? Useful strategies

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Struggling with attendance? Useful strategies

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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How do I deal with school refusal and school anxiety? - Support for Parents from Action For Children

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In this guide, you’ll find information on possible reasons for school refusal and anxiety and how you can get your child the support they need.

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If you think a business has broken the law or acted unfairly, you can report them to Trading Standards.

Trading Standards use the information you give them to investigate unfair trading and illegal business activity, like rogue traders and scams.

Trading Standards can take businesses to court or stop them operating, but they won't help you fix your problem - for example, they can't help you get a refund.

You can get help with your consumer problem from the Citizens Advice consumer service.

Check what you should report to Trading Standards

You should report a business to Trading Standards if they sold you something:

unsafe or dangerous, like an electronic appliance with faulty wiring or food past its use-by date

not as described - for example, you bought a package holiday but something advertised wasn't included

you didn't want to buy - for example, they put pressure on you

You can also tell them about a business if:

they scammed you - for example, you paid for something online that you didn't receive and you couldn't contact the seller

they tried to stop you using your legal rights - for example, they said you can't return faulty goods

they weren't clear about the price or added on extra costs - for example, they advertised theatre ticket prices without booking fees

they sold products to people who looked underage without asking for ID - for example, alcohol, knives or fireworks

they didn't carry out work properly - for example, kitchen fitters left your home in a dangerous state

Report a business to Trading Standards

To report to Trading Standards, you need to contact the Citizens Advice consumer service.

We'll pass your report to Trading Standards and we can also give you advice about your problem. You can:

If you contact us using the online form, we'll get back to you within 5 days.

What happens after you've reported to Trading Standards

Trading Standards will use the information you give to decide if they'll investigate. They'll only contact you if they need more information.

Even if Trading Standards don't contact you, they might use your evidence to take action against the business in the future. For example, if other people make complaints about the same business.

Get more help with your consumer problem

If a business isn't helping you fix something that went wrong, you could:

Find out more about how to fix your consumer problem.

Page last reviewed on 11 November 2019

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Report a trader who has broken the law by contacting the Citizens Advice consumer service or Advice Direct Scotland.

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What Is Vaping?

Vaping is the inhaling of a vapor created by an electronic cigarette ( e-cigarette) or other vaping device.

How Does Vaping Work?

E-cigarettes (or "vape pens") heat a liquid until it becomes a vapor, which is inhaled. The liquid (e-liquid or "vape juice") can contain nicotine or marijuana distillate or oil. E-cigarettes can be refillable or pre-filled with cartridges containing the e-liquid. The pre-filled e-cigarettes (called "Puff Bars") are designed for one-time use. After taking a certain number of "puffs," the user throws the device away.

What Are the Health Effects of Vaping?

The health risks of vaping include:

addiction: E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug that's highly addictive. You don't have to vape every day to get addicted.

anxiety and depression: Nicotine makes anxiety and depression worse. It also affects memory, concentration, self-control, and attention, especially in developing brains.

becoming a smoker: People who vape are more likely to start smoking regular (tobacco) cigarettes and may be more likely to develop other addictions in the future.

impotence: There is some evidence that vaping can cause sexual dysfunction in men.

sleep problems

exposure to cancer-causing chemicals

chronic bronchitis

lung damage that can be life-threatening

Other health effects are possible that we don't yet know about. Vaping hasn't been around that long, so its health risks aren't all known.

Why Should I Quit?

Wanting to be the best, healthiest version of yourself is an important reason to quit vaping. Others include:

Addiction: Addiction in the growing brain may set up pathways for later addiction to other substances.

Brain risks: Nicotine affects your brain development. This can make it harder to learn and concentrate. Some of the brain changes are permanent and can affect your mood and ability to control your impulses as an adult.

Use of other tobacco products: Studies show that vaping makes it more likely that someone will try other tobacco products, like regular cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, and smokeless tobacco.

Toxins (poisons): The vapor made from e-cigarettes is not made of water. The vapor contains harmful chemicals and very fine particles that are inhaled into the lungs and exhaled into the environment.

Sports: You want to do your best in sports, and vaping may lead to lung inflammation (irritation).

Money: Vaping is expensive! The cost of the cartridges over time starts to add up. Instead, you could spend that money on other things you need or enjoy.

To go against tobacco company advertising: Many e-cigarettes are made by the same companies that produce regular cigarettes. Their marketing targets young people by making fun flavors for e-cigarettes and showing young, healthy people vaping. They're trying to make you their next lifetime customer.

How Can I Quit?

Decide why you want to quit and write it down or put it in your phone. Look at the reason(s) when you feel the urge to vape.

Pick a day to stop vaping. Put it on the calendar and tell supportive friends and family that you're quitting on that day.

Get rid of all vaping supplies.

Download tools (such as apps and texting programs) to your phone that can help with cravings and give encouragement while you try to stop vaping. You can try:

Understand withdrawal. Nicotine addiction leads to very strong cravings for nicotine. It can also lead to:

feeling tired, cranky, angry, or depressed

trouble concentrating

trouble sleeping

hunger

restlessness

The signs of withdrawal are strongest in the first few days after stopping. They get better over the following days and weeks.

Get ready for feelings, people, and places that make you want to vape. If possible, avoid places and people that trigger the urge to vape. If you feel the urge to vape, try these things instead:

Chew sugar-free gum or drink water.

Text, call, or hang out with a friend who will support you.

Listen to your favorite playlist.

Go for a walk or jog.

Try yoga or meditation.

Take 10 deep breaths.

Keep your hands busy with a hobby, like drawing or making jewelry.

Go somewhere where smoking/vaping isn't allowed.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Call your doctor right away if you vape and have:

coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain

nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

tiredness, fever, or weight loss

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Vaping: What You Need to Know (for Teens) - Nemours KidsHealth

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E-cigarettes (or “vape pens”) heat a liquid until it becomes a vapor that’s inhaled. Vape juice can contain nicotine or marijuana distillate or oil. Here are the facts on vaping and its many health risks.

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Parents' guide for talking to your child about sexual harassment

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Parents' guide for talking to your child about sexual harassment

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Helping support your child's mental health

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Helping support your child's mental health

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Maintaining good mental health is just as important as having a healthy body. It affects the way children think, feel and act. As a parent, you play an important role in promoting your child's mental health and recognising when there may be early signs of difficulties.

Put simply, you can do this by:

being aware of the things you say and how you speak to your child;

clear and positive actions;

through the environment you create at home;

So, here are our 10 top tips on practical ways you can positively promote your child's mental health:

1. Connect with your child everyday.

Try to have make time every day for an activity where you can connect with your child without distractions that enables comfortable conversation. We all lead busy lives, but doing an activity like this together will offer your child the opportunity for them to feel secure and express how they are doing / feeling;

2. Have quiet time together.

This is a great way to connect with your child and takes no planning! Uninterrupted quiet time provides an ideal environment for your child to focus and build their attention span. When things are overwhelming, quiet time can help your child reset their thoughts and avoid behaviour escalation to meltdowns;

3. Praise your child when they do well.

Recognise their efforts as well as achievements- praise the small steps. For example, say your child has difficulty sitting quietly and calmly at the dinner table. Although desired, it would be unrealistic to initially expect them to do this for half an hour. So small steps might be praising that they achieved 5 -10 minutes. At the next meal this could be built on by reminding them of their previous achievement and setting a new goal of 15 minutes;

4. Foster your child's self-esteem.

Self-esteem is how they feel about themselves, both inside and out. Children with good self-esteem generally have a positive outlook, accept themselves and feel confident. Fostering self-esteem includes showing love and acceptance, asking questions about their activities / interests and helping them to set realistic goals;

5. Actively listen to your child.

That's really listening to what they are saying and how they are feeling. Often the way children feel may seem unrealistic or disproportionate to adults but remember, children do not have the wisdom of experience and they may need help and direction to make sense of situations and feelings. Try to answer your child's questions and reassure them in an age-appropriate manner. Whilst you may not be able to answer all their questions, talking things through can help them feel calmer;

6. Wherever possible stick to commitments and routines.

Following through on commitments and routines builds trust and continuity, important relationship factors. Try to keep to as many regular routines as possible to help your child feel safe and secure. This includes having regular times for going to bed, waking up, eating meals and doing activities /hobbies;

7. Keep your promises.

Should the need to break a commitment or routine occur make sure there is a valid reason and take the time to explain why to your child. Remember success comes from keeping your promises to your child;

8. Find opportunities to play together.

Play is a fantastic way for children to learn new things and develop problem solving skills. It also offers great opportunities for them to learn how to express their feelings;

9. Be a positive role model.

Look after your own mental health and wellbeing. Children are intuitive and will readily pick up on feelings such as stress, anxiety, hopelessness and fear.

10. Help your child to develop a language of feelings.

Teaching children about feelings can be hard as it's an abstract concept but if they can understand and express their emotions, they will be less likely to 'act out'. For example, you can discuss how characters in a book are feeling and the reasons why they may be feeling that way;

We hope you find these tips helpful. It is important to recognise and accept that sometimes your child may not feel comfortable talking to you. As a parent this is a tough one, but the reality is that there will be occasions where this is the case. Rather than feel resentful or unhappy, you can take positive action and help them find someone they feel comfortable talking to e.g., a grandparent, an older sibling or another positive adult role model. Above all else, if you have any concerns, no matter how minor, or are at all worried about your child's behaviour, mental health or wellbeing please contact your GP. In the first instance they may offer a face-to-face appointment or may ask you to speak to them via phone or video call. GPs are experienced professionals trained to help and you shouldn't worry about wasting their time.

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Child Mental Health & Wellbeing- 10 Top Tips for Parents

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Maintaining good mental health is just as important as having a healthy body. It affects the way children think, feel and act. As a parent, you play an important role in promoting your child's mental health and recognising when there may be early signs of difficulties.

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In our previous resource we identified that looking after your own mental health and wellbeing can have a hugely positive impact on your child's mental health and wellbeing. There are simple ways to help you do this. This is all about looking after you:

1. Follow our Top Ten Tips for supporting your child's mental health & wellbeing.

Being a parent is wonderful. There's no doubt, parenthood brings joy and fulfilment into our lives, but it also brings its own set of challenges and stressors that we have to manage. Unlike any other job there is no rule book, no job description, we just have to grow and develop our own set of strategies to cope with what parenthood throws at us, the good and the not so good. One thing is certain though, if we take positive action to promote our children's mental health and wellbeing, this in turn will reduce our stressors and help maintain our wellbeing. So, if you haven't already watched our tips here's the link to get some great advice.

2. Recognise when you feel overwhelmed

We are all really good at recognising when our physical health is poor but not so effective at recognising when things are emotionally overwhelming us. Being overwhelmed can lead to:

feeling tired all the time;

poor sleep patterns;

headaches;

being irritable and impatient,

worry, stress and anxiety;

lack of motivation;

trouble concentrating;

poor eating habits;

general negative thinking and responses e.g., thinking "I'll never be able to do this" rather than "how can I do this";

feeling tearful.

The stress caused by these indicators may then impact on our physical health, often triggering or increasing illnesses, particularly those associated with the stomach.

So, our next tips focus on a few simple suggestions to help combat that overwhelmed feeling.

3. Focus on the here and now

In a way this is ordering all the things causing you to feel overwhelmed, identifying the immediate stressor. Take a few minutes to write down all the things that are causing you stress and anxiety. Once you have your list, identify what things you can tackle immediately, in the short term and those that might take a bit longer. For example, let's look at this list. Say you:

are worrying about you or your partner's job security

have difficulty getting off to sleep

have money worries

find it difficult to manage your child's behaviour

are stressed because your child is bedwetting

Thinking about all of these will no doubt cause a sense of anxiety and a feeling of being overwhelmed but if we separate them out, we can clearly see what's easy to tackle and what might take longer to resolve. So, looking at the list again in a more ordered way, we can prioritise and start to make a positive difference.

Difficulty getting off to sleep

This is something you can tackle immediately, and we have some simple tips coming up to help do this.

Managing your child's difficult behaviour

again this is something you can tackle immediately by putting new strategies in place. Have a look at our last resource for ideas. Also, don't be afraid to talk to staff at your child's nursery / school- they manage difficult behaviour on a daily basis and have a wealth of advice and solutions. Positive outcomes may take a little while to show results but the impact of taking action will have an immediate positive effect on your mental health and wellbeing

Your child is bedwetting

bedwetting is common, especially in children under the age of five, and most children will grow out of it. Following advice from organisations such as the NHS offers support on what to do and what not to do to help manage your child's bedwetting. There is also other support available too. Ask school for an appointment with the school nursing service who again can provide practical advice and support or discuss your concerns with your G.P.

Money worries

worrying about money can make us feel low and when our mood is low, we find it more difficult to manage our finances, it's a cyclical thing and can quite quickly become overwhelming. So, we need to break that cycle. The good news is you don't have to try and do this alone. There are great free support networks online and available locally that will help with auditing your spend, setting a budget, managing debt and getting your budget back on track. Most schools will know what provision is available in your area, but if you feel uncomfortable asking them then check out other resources e.g. what's available from local voluntary sector organisations and / or your Local Authority, or online services such as the Money Advice Service

Worrying about you or your partner's job security

there are lots of factors out of our control that affect job security, particularly in this period of global economic change. Ongoing fears about you or your partner losing their job or having contracted hours reduced negatively impacts on anxiety and depression, so it's important first to acknowledge that, being realistic, this is not something you can solve in the short term. However, there are steps you can take if worried about job security that may also support you mental wellbeing. Speak to the employer and ask what the current position is. Even if they say your job is at risk or they are unsure about what might happen in the future, talking will give you the opportunity to ask them what the next steps are and when they will be able to give you a clearer picture of what the actual position is. Get expert advice so you know what your rights and options are, e.g., the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) who offer free confidential advice. Make a plan so you are prepared and have some steps to take should the situation become real. This might involve exploring what benefits & welfare will be available, other job opportunities or further retraining opportunities.

So, you can see, we've reordered the list to prioritise what we can tackle effectively first, which will help reduce some of the stress and / or anxiety and that feeling of being overwhelmed. Recognising what is causing stress and anxiety and creating a sense of order means you can think clearly and plan action, tackling one thing at a time.

4. Think positive thoughts

try to refocus the negatives to positives. I call this gentle reframing. For example, say I have a deadline of 5 days to complete a task. Instead of thinking 'I've only got five days to do this, how will I ever get this done' think 'I have five whole days to get this done. Ok, I can do this'. Reframing in this way positively changes your way of thinking and this 'can do' message will help prevent you feeling overwhelmed.

5. Be body aware

Being overwhelmed, causes physical changes. Breathing becomes shallower, posture slumps and muscles tense, all of which drive an increased feeling of stress. Straightening your posture and taking deep cleansing breaths really helps to combat the effects of stress. So, pick something you do regularly throughout the day, say making a cup of tea. Whilst you're waiting for the kettle to boil stand up straight, relax your shoulders and take 10 deep breaths like this.

6. Say no

Saying yes is so much easier than saying no and we often agree to things even when we know this will negatively impact on us. It took me a long time to realise that saying yes to all requests really wasn't good for my wellbeing as I just got stressed trying to fit additional tasks into an already busy schedule. Saying no is okay- it can be said in a nice respectful way and be a positive.

7. Sleep

We all know how important sleep is for our children, but a good sleep pattern is also vital for your overall physical and mental health and general wellbeing. Not only does it enable your body to repair and restore for the next day, rest may also help prevent excess weight gain, heart disease and prolonged illness.

Sleep has a huge impact on how our minds and bodies function. Impaired or lack of sleep affects our mood, alertness and negatively impacts on our ability to concentrate. Research also shows that long-term sleep deprivation may contribute to serious health problems e.g., diabetes, strokes.

We need sleep for our prefrontal cortex, that's the part of the brain that thinks rationally, to work well. This helps us to make effective judgements, choices and be able to consider other people's points of view.

Just one night's poor sleep may leave us feeling tired, irritable, tearful and unable to work or function well. So, to sleep well try:

not to worry about getting to sleep as stress negatively impacts on your ability to sleep;

reducing your alcohol and caffeine intake;

before bed, writing a "things to do" list. Creating this list orders tasks and creates a sense of time management, helping your mind to relax that you have a

plan. Research shows this prevents feeling overwhelmed;

having a regular sleep pattern- fix a bedtime and stick to it;

not to look at any devices e.g., mobile phones, tablets or laptops an hour before bedtime and switch them off when you go to bed;

having a bath before bed. Bathing helps lower your core body temperature which helps you to sleep;

regulating the room temperature, lower temperatures (approx. 16 degrees) aids sleep.

If you wake during the night and find it difficult to get back to sleep do something which will calm your mind e.g., reading a book, mindfulness exercises.

8. Eat well

Ever heard the saying you are what you eat? Well our mind, just like the rest of our body, is affected by our diet. It needs the fuel from a healthy diet to function well. For example, a balanced regular diet will help the prefrontal cortex of the brain I mentioned earlier, preventing irritability and enables us to concentrate. Research shows that if you eat a diet high in processed meat, fried foods, refined cereals, pastries and high-fat dairy products, you're more likely to be anxious and depressed. The vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables have great healing, restorative powers. So here are a few foods that can boost and maintain your mental wellness:

Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries contain antioxidants which help improve the symptoms associated with anxiety and depression. Strawberries and blueberries also contain a compound which can help improve your attention span, concentration and memory. You can also get an antioxidant boost by snacking on

walnuts which studies have shown also amazingly promote the growth of new brain cells;

Probiotics found in yogurt and yogurt drinks assist in lowering levels of stress, anxiety and depression;

DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid found in oily fish such as salmon, trout and prawns can help improve short- and long-term memory and reduce anxiety. Don't like fish or seafood? Don't worry, you can get these benefits from taking a fish oil supplement;

The amino acid found in wholegrains helps us produce serotonin often referred to as the feel-good hormone, which helps us to improve our mood, calm our mind and maintain a healthy sleep cycle;

Chickpeas, lentils and kidney beans are full of fibre and antioxidants. They not only keep your blood sugar stable, they also enable you to burn more energy, essential for good mental health. Beans also contain a vitamin called thiamine which helps us to produce a neurotransmitter essential for memory.

9. Limit alcohol

Alcohol affects the chemicals in your brain and the central nervous system. The central nervous system controls most functions of our body and mind and alcohol slows our ability to function. Alcohol can affect the part of the brain that controls inhibition, which is why we often feel less anxious after having a drink but, although in the short term we may feel more relaxed, regular or heavy drinking negatively impacts on mental health and can contribute to feelings of depression, anxiety and make stress harder to cope with. So, if you do drink alcohol, try to keep to NHS guidelines, that's not drinking more than 14 units per week spread over 3 days and have at least two alcohol free days per week.

10. Talk about how you are feeling

There's an old saying 'a problem shared is a problem halved'. As adults we often see ourselves as failing if we're not coping with what life is throwing at us and we internalise our feelings. This is really unhealthy. As human beings we are designed to feel and express our feelings, so bottling them up has a negative effect on our mental health and wellbeing. There really are benefits in sharing how you're feeling whether that's with someone you trust or as we detailed earlier to support organisations. Sharing can help:

reduce the intensity and power of a feeling e.g., reduce anxiety levels;

get a new perspective on difficulties;

make problem solving and decision making easier;

reduce the sense of isolation and help restore a balanced sense of reality.

We've covered lots of topics in this resource which hopefully, as we've worked through them, has enabled you to reflect on how you are feeling. That's a good thing, it's not self-obsessing! By reflecting in this way, you will better tune into your feelings and question how you are coping with life. Often when stressed we feel that's the norm, just the way things are and we can be unaware of its negative impact on our health, mental and physical, and wellbeing. So, here's my bonus tip- regularly reflect on how you are feeling even if it is only once a week, set aside some time to reflect on what went well that week, what not so well. Start by examining what helped make things go well e.g. I achieved lots of things this week because I managed my time well. Then think about the things that didn't go to plan. Are there any actions from your 'worked well list' that would have helped make these things work better? e.g. If I managed my time better in the evening, I'd be more relaxed when going to bed and might sleep better.

We hope you find these practical tips helpful. They are general tips designed to help but as ever, if you have any concerns about your mental health or wellbeing please don't hesitate to contact your GP. There is also lots of good information via the NHS website and through other support organisations.

Sam Preston

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Your Mental Health & Wellbeing- 10 Top Tips for Parents

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In our previous resource we identified that looking after your own mental health and wellbeing can have a hugely positive impact on your child's mental health and wellbeing. There are simple ways to help you do this. This is all about looking after you: Being a parent is wonderful.

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ChildLine Toolbox Coping kit - another great resource for self-help

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ChildLine Toolbox Coping kit - another great resource for self-help

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There are lots of way to feel calmer. Try our breathing exercises, activities and games or watch a video to help let go of stress.

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ChildLine Calm Zone - an excellent set of self-help resources

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ChildLine Calm Zone - an excellent set of self-help resources

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There are lots of way to feel calmer. Try our breathing exercises, activities and games or watch a video to help let go of stress.

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Webinar for students dealing with anxiety

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Help booklet for children living with adults with alcohol issues.

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St. Mary's Safeguarding Briefing 2

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Wigan Children's Safeguarding Board (WCSB) Parent page

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Wigan Children's Safeguarding Board (WCSB) Parent page

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Advice and support if you're concerned for a child's welfare, from bullying and abuse to internet safety.

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You're more beautiful than you think. Dove #LoveYourself

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You're more beautiful than you think. Dove #LoveYourself

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The #ReverseSelfie from Dove #LoveYourself

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The #ReverseSelfie from Dove #LoveYourself

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Reverse Selfie: Social Media's Impact on Girls' Self-Esteem | Dove

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Parents and Carers Guide to Valorant

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Post 16 mental health support

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

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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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The Anti Bullying Ambassadors are part of a charity that aim to stop bullying in schools and cyber bullying. Bullying, bullying advice, cyberbullying, harassment, part of the Diana Award.

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The Anti Bullying Ambassadors are part of a charity that aim to stop bullying in schools and cyber bullying. Bullying, bullying advice, cyberbullying, harassment, part of the Diana Award.

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Lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations

BT's sponsorship ambition is to unite the four Home Nations by supporting and improving the lives of millions of players, coaches and fans, with one of the largest ever footballing programmes for the UK.

At the core is BT's 4-3-3 plan and three key goals to release the potential of disability and para, grassroots, and women's football communities ​by combining BT's technology and innovation with the unrivalled power and reach of the beautiful game.

More on BT's 4-3-3 plan

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BT Hope United - Together we can beat online hate

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Lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations BT's sponsorship ambition is to unite the four Home Nations by supporting and improving the lives of millions of players, coaches and fans, with one of the largest ever footballing programmes for the UK.

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Lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations

BT's sponsorship ambition is to unite the four Home Nations by supporting and improving the lives of millions of players, coaches and fans, with one of the largest ever footballing programmes for the UK.

At the core is BT's 4-3-3 plan and three key goals to release the potential of disability and para, grassroots, and women's football communities ​by combining BT's technology and innovation with the unrivalled power and reach of the beautiful game.

More on BT's 4-3-3 plan

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BT Hope United - Together we can beat online hate

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Lead partner of the Home Nations Football Associations BT's sponsorship ambition is to unite the four Home Nations by supporting and improving the lives of millions of players, coaches and fans, with one of the largest ever footballing programmes for the UK.

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What parents need to know about Sports Betting

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Three mini Body confidence lessons that can be done at home with parental support.

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Three mini Body confidence lessons that can be done at home with parental support.

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Lesson 3

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Three mini Body confidence lessons that can be done at home with parental support.

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Three mini Body confidence lessons that can be done at home with parental support.

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Lesson 2

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Three mini Body confidence lessons that can be done at home with parental support.

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Three mini Body confidence lessons that can be done at home with parental support.

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Lesson 1

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Take our Quiz

Take our quiz and see whether you need to be more active.

The right activity for you

Find the right activity for you if you have a health-condition.

Activities to Try

View a wide range of activities you can do at home.

What is being active?

You don't need to exercise for hours every day to have an active lifestyle. Just ten minutes in your normal daily routine can make a big difference.

What is being active?

How can being active help me?

You might be surprised at just how much being active can improve your everyday life. Even small changes can give you more energy, reduce stress, lift your mood and boost your confidence.

Learn more about benefits

This Girl Can Liverpool

This Girl Can Liverpool is the city's activation of the national This Girl Can campaign developed by Sport England together with a wide range of partnership organisations.

This Girl Can Liverpool

Your Stories

Sometimes it's hard to believe how much being active can improve your life. Sure, it all sounds good but will it really work for someone like you? The answer is yes, just look at all the people who have already changed their lives for the better by being more active.

See all your stories

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Take our quiz and see whether you need to be more active. Find the right activity for you if you have a health-condition. View a wide range of activities you can do at home. You don't need to exercise for hours every day to have an active lifestyle.

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Kick the Ciggies - Stop Smoking with Support from SmokeFree Liverpool

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You’re four times more likely to stop smoking successfully with SmokeFree Liverpool backing you. All the tips and tactics you need to go smoke free in 2017.

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Guide for parents - Home or Out Alone?

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We'd love to show you how your support is helping LGBTQ+ people everywhere to thrive. We need your consent to keep you up to date with our campaigns and events, and what you can do to help make life better for LGBTQ+ people.

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At Stonewall, we stand for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, questioning and ace (LGBTQ+) people everywhere. We imagine a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to be ourselves and can live our lives to the full.

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Parents' Resources - Educate Against Hate

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Messages of hate can take many forms. Extremist groups use them to recruit young people. Parents can find answers to common questions and resources to help protect your child below.

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EVERYDAY RACISM is an award winning organisation run by anti-racism activists, Naomi and Natalie Evans. It began as an Instagram platform to share stories from Black and Brown people about their experiences of racism, specifically in the UK.

Their anti-racism work is shared globally, they are published authors and professional public speakers.

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EVERYDAY RACISM is an award winning organisation run by anti-racism activists, Naomi and Natalie Evans. It began as an Instagram platform to share stories from Black and Brown people about their experiences of racism, specifically in the UK. Their anti-racism work is shared globally, they are published authors and professional public speakers.

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Spotting the signs of radicalisation

Radicalisation can be really difficult to spot. Signs that may indicate a child is being radicalised include:

isolating themselves from family and friends

talking as if from a scripted speech

unwillingness or inability to discuss their views

a sudden disrespectful attitude towards others

increased levels of anger

increased secretiveness, especially around internet use.

Children who are at risk of radicalisation may have low self-esteem, or be victims of bullying or discrimination. Extremists might target them and tell them they can be part of something special, later brainwashing them into cutting themselves off from their friends and family.

However, these signs don't necessarily mean a child is being radicalised - it may be normal teenage behaviour or a sign that something else is wrong.

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Radicalisation of young children online | Internet Matters

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What is radicalisation, what are the signs of extremism, how can you prevent it? Read about what being radicalised means and how to spot key signs.

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We recommend Kooth on a daily basis to students.

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

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Every year over 1,600 young people die by suicide. There are people amongst us every day thinking about suicide. Many of them give out signs - we need to kno...

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Our use of cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional analytics to help us improve it. We won't set optional cookies unless you enable them. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see our Cookies page

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Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.

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We'd like to set non-essential cookies, such as Google Analytics, to help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone. For more information on how these cookies work, please see our Cookies page. If you are 16 or under, please ask a parent or carer for consent before accepting.

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Parents and Carers | Advice and Guidance | Anna Freud Centre

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Advice and guidance for parents and carers to help them support a child or a young person experiencing poor mental health or wellbeing.

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"Since starting alumina it's become the highlight of my week. It's such a safe, non judgemental place which has really helped me in my recovery."

Max

"If you're thinking about joining I'd say go for it, the team are lovely and everyone who does it is so welcoming and supportive"

Abi

Alumina is a free, online 7 week course for young people struggling with self-harm. Each course has up to 14 young people, all accessing the sessions from their own phones, tablets or laptops across the UK. The courses take place on different evenings of the week and are run by friendly, trained counsellors and volunteer youth workers. You don't need an adult to refer you or sign you up, and no-one will see or hear you during the sessions - you'll just join in via the chatbox. We want to help you to find your next steps towards recovery, wherever you are on your journey.

IS ALUMINA RIGHT FOR ME?

Are you...

11-19 years old?

Living in the UK?

Someone who self-harms or worries they might?

Looking for support but not wanting to do it face to face?

Wanting to move towards a life free from self-harm?

If so...

Alumina could be a helpful step forward. If you sign up we'll begin a conversation over email to work out if it might be a good fit - and you can ask us any questions you have. The only rule we have in Alumina is that we don't talk about suicide in the groups. If that's something you are struggling with thinking about we recommend getting in touch with our friends at Papyrus who are better equipped to support you.

"I thought it would be all serious and uncomfortable because of the self-harm talk but actually, the staff have made me laugh, we've been given a space that feels relevant to our ages and most importantly we can turn up in any mood and they'll be there for us." Runa

What's a session like?

"Clicking on the link for the first time was nerve wracking and intense with lots of thoughts going through my head. But within only a few minutes of the session I had a smile on my face and felt comfortable with the staff and the group."

Sasha

"Alumina was quite different to what I expected, I thought it would just be an intense 6 weeks and it would be over like other services. But it was nothing like that - instead I felt and still feel very supported by the staff. The group and staff are like a big family who's always there for me."

Samara

"Clicking that link for the very first time was terrifying. But I knew it could be life-changing. The first session I felt welcome, I no longer felt like an outsider. It's fun, believe me!! Most days I find myself looking forward to the next session because Alumina gives me a sign of hope."

Dan

Questions

We aren't a crisis service so if you're in need of immediate support please contact one of the following:

The Mix: Offering essential support for anyone aged 12-25. For their crisis messenger support service text THEMIX to 85258.
Childline: Support for anyone up to age 18. Call, chat online or email their crisis service.
Samaritans: Call 116123 anytime if you need to talk to someone.

We've changed the shape of our support for young people. This website introduces Alumina, our online support groups for young people struggling with self-harm. We've also recently launched beheadstrong.uk offering young people all kinds of information, stories and videos about looking after your mental and emotional wellbeing. You can find links to some of selfharm.co.uk's most popular articles below.

Meet the team

Live Webinars

We have recently started to do live webinars on YouTube on issues related to self-harm and emotional wellbeing

Supporting Young People Who Self-harm

If you're a parent, professional or friend supporting a young person who's self-harming, we recommend taking an hour to watch this webinar with our Alumina Managers. They explore why people self-harm, why young people especially self-harm, why it becomes addictive, how to break the addiction cycle, and what young people wish the adults around them understood about self-harm.

"Alumina is a well thought through support service for young people; it is professional, caring and accessible to all. Signposting a young person to Alumina will help them begin their recovery journey."

DR. KATE MIDDLETON

Our Alumina advisory panel

More information about self-harm

We've moved some of our most popular articles about self-harm over to beheadstrong.uk, and you can use these links to find them:

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Free online Self-harm support for 11-19's Working with 11-19s from September '22

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"Since starting alumina it's become the highlight of my week. It's such a safe, non judgemental place which has really helped me in my recovery." Max "If you're thinking about joining I'd say go for it, the team are lovely and everyone who does it is so welcoming and supportive" Abi Alumina is a free, online 7 week course for young people struggling with self-harm.

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Everyone's Invited's mission is to expose and eradicate rape culture with empathy, compassion, and understanding. Everyone's Invited is a safe place for survivors to share their stories completely anonymously. It is a space for all survivors, regardless of identified gender or orientation.

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Relationship and sex education is much more than talking to children about reproduction. Our advice to parents is to follow our top tips below for speaking to your child about their bodies and relationships, this will make the transition to talking about Sex much easier.

Ten Top Tips for Parents

1. From the very beginning always refer to parts of their bodies by the correct terms, for example, boys have a penis and girls have a vagina.

2. Ensure they are aware of the 4 parts of their body no one should touch unless they want them to: the genital area (penis, vagina), bottom, chest and mouth.

3. Reassure them they can come to you if ANYONE touches them or asks them to keep a secret (surprises are ok, secrets are not).

4. Never expect or force them to kiss people goodbye etc. We suggest that blowing kisses, shaking hands or a "high five" can be a good alternative.

5. If a child wants to touch or explore their genitals explain kindly that it's something we do in private not in public.

6. Don't encourage or tease about "boyfriends" or "girlfriends" substitute with "friends who are boys" or "friends who are girls". Feeling pressured by this can lead to problems at School and with peers. Let them be children and enjoy their friendships, there is plenty of time for closer relationships when they get older.

7. Let children know what your family values are or the School ethos regarding relationships and the way we treat others.

8. Don't assume all children are heterosexual.

9.Tell them they can always speak to you as a Parent or a trusted adult within School, to ask about things that they have seen/heard and don't understand (again don't assume they know this).

10. As a parent keep the channels of communication going, be interested, who are their friends at School? Who are their friends on-line? Make time to talk.

But how do I answer the SEX question?

At BigTalk Education we teach children in schools about reproduction from UK year 4 (age 8) , this includes talking about the bodies of men and women and how a baby is made. To help parents speak to their children about this, in an age appropriate manner, we have created a book for parents and children to read together, called Bodies, Babies and Bellybuttons. This book is suitable for younger children who are asking questions about where they or babies come from.

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How to talk about sex! - BigTalk Education

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Relationship and sex education is much more than talking to children about reproduction. Our advice to parents is to follow our top tips below for speaking to your child about their bodies and relationships, this will make the transition to talking about Sex much easier. Ten Top Tips for Parents 1.

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Communication, respect, and honesty are the building blocks of healthy relationships, and consent is about all of those things.

Teaching kids about the skills of consent can help reduce sexual coercion, harassment, and even assault.

When we teach kids about consent, we help them learn how to express what they want and don't want.

We give them tools to express their limits. We teach them that they deserve to be treated in a respectful way. Teaching consent also means teaching kids that it's just as important to respect others' limits and wishes. We teach them that their friends have a right to say "no" and "yes" and have that be respected.

You can use the 1-minute video to spark conversations with your tween/teen about respectful relationships, the importance of consent, and how teens can ask for and give consent in their friendships and dating relationships.

The PARENT GUIDE offers simple conversation starters to open up a discussion after watching the video.

Talking about consent can start at any time...and it's never too late to begin the conversation.

As early as age 1, we can begin teaching kids that "no" and "stop" are important words and should be honored by children and adults. We can teach even very young children that they have a right to have their "no" and "yes" respected too.

The more you talk about consent, the more normal it will become, so talking openly and respectfully with friends and partners will become second nature.

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Communication, respect, and honesty are the building blocks of healthy relationships, and consent is about all of those things. Teaching kids about the skills of consent can help reduce sexual coercion, harassment, and even assault. When we teach kids about consent, we help them learn how to express what they want and don't want.