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If you experience sleep problems, there are some ideas you can try.

Remember that different things work at different times. So only try what you feel comfortable with, and don't put too much pressure on yourself.

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Find tips to improve your sleep and take care of your wellbeing. Read advice on relaxing before bed, avoiding screens and keeping a sleep diary.

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Exam Stress | Feelings | Health for Teens

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Exams can be a very worrying and stressful time, so we've got lots of advice on getting through this period, getting organised and being prepared to do your very best.

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Contact us:

Phone: 01752 434476

https://www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk

/camhs-neuro-developmental-team

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We work in partnership with our schools to develop universal approaches promoting wellbeing and the prevention of mental health problems across the whole school community by:

- Running workshops for staff, parents and Children

-Presenting in assemblies

-Consultations with school staff

- Staff training sessions

-1-2-1 sessions for individuals

- Participation

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We work in partnership with our schools to develop universal approaches promoting wellbeing and the prevention of mental health problems across the whole school community by:

- Running workshops for staff, parents and Children

-Presenting in assemblies

-Consultations with school staff

- Staff training sessions

-1-2-1 sessions for individuals

- Participation

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Always check the activities before arriving for any requirements!

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Activities and events in libraries | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK

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We have activities in our libraries including, reading groups, rhymetime and work clubs

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When you're feeling low or overwhelmed, it can be hard to know how to cope. But distracting yourself or doing one of our activities or games can help you feel better.

Even doing just one positive thing every day can help your mood. Not sure what you want to do today? Use our tool to help.

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When you're feeling low or overwhelmed, it can be hard to know how to cope. But distracting yourself or doing one of our activities or games can help you feel better.

Even doing just one positive thing every day can help your mood. Not sure what you want to do today? Use our tool to help.

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When you're feeling low or overwhelmed, it can be hard to know how to cope. But distracting yourself or doing something positive can really help. We've got lots of activities for you to try!

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Tough To Talk ft. Olly Alexander | Voice Box | Childline

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Youth Club- School years 4-6

Every Wednesday 430-530

Starts February 26th FREE

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What does our welcome space offer?

Not only will you always have a warm welcome in our cafe, on Friday evenings you will also have access to :
– Free food (soup and snacks)
– Free hot drinks
– TV
– Free Wi-Fi access
– Board games/ card games

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Skip to content

Everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy free snacks and refreshments in our community cafe on Fridays

Unwind, chat, and connect with others every Friday in our cafe 3pm-6pm . Come along to our Welcome Space which offers free food and drinks every week. Whether you're seeking a cosy spot to relax or eager to challenge your friends to a game of pool, our welcome space has something for everyone.

This winter, our warm and welcoming spaces are proudly sponsored by ﻿

What does our welcome space offer?

Not only will you always have a warm welcome in our cafe, on Friday evenings you will also have access to :
- Free food (soup and snacks)
- Free hot drinks
- TV
- Free Wi-Fi access
- Board games/ card games

The space is staffed by our friendly cafe team, however children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. To access the space, you can simply check in at our reception desk.

When

Every Friday 3pm- 6pm

Where

Cafe (YMCA Plymouth , Honicknowle Lane PL5 3NG)

Who is our welcome space for?

With everyone struggling with the cost of living, we originally set up our cafe as a warm space throughout the winter for anyone to use. However, due to its popularity we decided to continue running space with free refreshments throughout the whole year.

This has been made possible thank to the kind support of Transforming Plymouth Together , Provide to Plymouth donors and Help in Plymouth.

Regardless of your circumstances age, or background everyone is welcome to come along and use our space.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.

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Free cafe welcome spaceEveryone is welcome to come along and enjoy free snacks and refreshments in our community cafe on Fridays Unwind, chat, and connect with others every Friday in our cafe 3pm-6pm. Come along to our Welcome Space which offers free food and drinks every week.

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Foulston Park is more than just a venue; it’s a place where sporting excellence meets community spirit. By combining state-of-the-art facilities with accessible opportunities, we aim to inspire and nurture athletes of all abilities while supporting health, wellbeing, and personal growth.

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Foulston Park - Where Heritage Inspires Excellence

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Blog - Foulston Park - Where Heritage Inspires Excellence

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Latest News & Updates Read the latest news and developments in the Foulston Park project.

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‘Where’s Your Head At?’ is a Children and Young People’s Open delivered by The Box in partnership with Arts University Plymouth. It invites young artists aged 0–25 to submit original work exploring the theme of ‘art and emotion’. Entries close at 5pm on Sunday 3 May 2026. Prizes up for grabs include £150 to spend in The Box’s shop and the chance to have your work displayed at The Box this summer.

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Where’s Your Head At? | The Box Plymouth

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A free open call for ages 0–25 across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. Create work exploring the theme of ‘art and emotion’ and see selected entries displayed at The Box this summer.

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DIAS gives information advice and support about special educational needs. You can contact us about any SEND issue, including those that are about health and social care needs. We give advice and support to children, young people and  parent carers who have a child with SEN, with or without a diagnosis.

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10-17 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?

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"Practitioner was so lovely & understanding of my daughter's needs. Additional practitioner was also lovely too."

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We’ve designed this easy course to help support you whilst you are waiting to work with one of our Educational Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs). This booklet has everything you need for the guided self-help course, and can be done on your own, with your parents or in your sessions with one of our friendly Support Practitioners. It’s entirely up to you!

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Secondary Schools we currently work with

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Secondary Schools we currently work with

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All Saints

Coombe Dean

Eggbuckland Secondary

Heles Secondary

Lipson Cooperative Academy

Millbay Academy

Notre Dame

Plymouth Highschool

Plympton Academy

Sir John Hunt Community Sports College

St Boniface

St Budeaux CE Academy

Stoke Dameral Community College

Tor Bridge High

UTC Secondary

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Holy Cross PS

Glen Park PS

Austin Farm Academy

Beechwood PS

Bickleigh Down PS

Borringdon PS

Cathedral School of St Mary

Chadddlewood PS

College Rd PS

Drake PS

Eggbuckland Vale

Ernesettle PS

Ford PS

Goosewell PS

High Street PS

High View PS

Hooe PS

Hyde Park Juniors PS

Keyham Barton PS

Knowle PS

Laira Green PS

Leigham PS

Lipson Vale PS

Malborough Street PS

Manadon Vale PS

MAP

Mary Deans PS

Mayflower PS

Morice Town PS

Morley Meadows PS

Mount Street PS

Mount Wise PS

Oakwood PS

Old priory academy PS

Oreston PS

PennyCross PS

Pilgrim Primary Academy

Plaistow Hill PS

Plympton St Mary CE PS

Plympton St Maurice

Pomphlett PS

Prince Rock PS

Riverside PS

Salisbury Rd PS

Shakespeare PS

Sherford PS

St Andrews COE PS

St Edwards COE

St Georges Church of England

St Joseph's Catholic

St Matthews

St Pauls RC PS

St Peter's Church of England

Stoke Damerel PS

Stuart Road PS

Victoria Road PS

Weston Mill PS

Whitleigh PS

Widewell PS

Widey Court

Woodfield PS

Woodford PS

Yealmstone Farm PS

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What is an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and how to apply for one - Cerebra

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Navigating your child’s education can be daunting especially if your child has special educational needs. The purpose of this article is to explain how to apply for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and explain what an EHCP actually is and the rights it gives you as a parent…

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Supporting staff wellbeing is a central part of a whole-school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

School and college staff play a crucial role in supporting the education and mental wellbeing of their students.

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Educational Support- Staff Mental Health 

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Educational Support- Staff Mental Health 

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Developing a staff mental health and wellbeing plan is a great place for schools to start when outlining their commitment to prioritising the wellbeing of school staff.

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Want to make a commitment to your staff that you’re prioritising their mental health and wellbeing? Make a start with our plan.

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Tel:01752 254981

Address: Plymouth Foodbank
28 Manor Street
Plymouth
PL1 1TW

Email: info@plymouth.foodbank.org.uk

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If you need help from our foodbank there are a few simple steps to follow.

The most important step is to get a foodbank voucher.

In order to provide the most appropriate help for the circumstances of your situation we work with local agencies. If they feel you are struggling to put food on the table, they will issue you with a foodbank voucher. The local agency can also provide long term support if needed to help address some of the issues behind the reasons for your crisis. Agencies we work with include: Advice Plymouth, housing support officers, children's centres, health visitors, social services and some local charities.

1. Get in touch with us.

If you call or email our foodbank we can talk through your situation and put you in touch with a relevant local agency.

2. Arrange a visit to the referral agency.

They will discuss your situation and supply you with a foodbank voucher where appropriate.

If you can't afford food, you can call 01752 668000, option 1 then option 3 to speak to Plymouth City Council, a referral agency partner of Plymouth Foodbank, about getting a voucher. Please note this number is for people who do not have enough money for food - if you are a local organisation or charity that works with people who might need the food bank, please contact us directly.. If you have any questions, please contact the food bank on the number on our contact us page.

3. Bring your foodbank voucher to your nearest foodbank centre.

You can find a list of our local centres and opening times here. When you arrive, one of our trained volunteers will welcome you and have a chat about your situation. We'll also discuss any dietary needs you may have and exchange your foodbank voucher for a parcel of three days of emergency food. We'll also help to support you in any other ways that we can. Most of our foodbank centres offer a safe and warm environment and our aim is to provide non-judgemental support at the point of crisis.

If you have any further questions our FAQ's page may help, or feel free to give us a call.

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If you need help from our foodbank there are a few simple steps to follow. The most important step is to get a foodbank voucher. In order to provide the most appropriate help for the circumstances of your situation we work with local agencies.

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The Toolbox is a free service where you can get online support if you have, or think you might have, Autism or ADHD.

Check out our resources, chat with us on the Live Chat, or catch our latest gaming Livestreams! Let's go!

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The Toolbox | Autism & ADHD Support For Young People

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The Toolbox - Online ADHD and Autism Support for Children and Young People

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Jam Up! is an app that empowers children and young people with additional needs (including autism and ADHD) to accomplish everyday tasks (like getting dressed and cleaning teeth), taking the pressure off and making family life just that little bit easier

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Jam Up – by Spectrum Tailored Technologies Ltd.

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Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.

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SEND tips and advice - BBC Parents' Toolkit - BBC Bitesize

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Activities, advice and personal stories about parenting and special educational needs and disabilities to help you support your family.

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This is a guide to help find support, information and resources for children, young people and families.

Within this site, we have included a variety of information, not just about neurodiversity, but also to help with everyday living.

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What is Neurodiversity? 🧠 Neurodiversity Celebration Week | Newsround

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We’ve partnered with The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity to deliver ADHD advice and support for parents and carers.

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This page is here to help you understand what parental conflict is, what causes it, and how to reduce it in your family.

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Impact of parental conflict on children

Children thrive when their home feels calm, secure, and emotionally safe. But when conflict between adults becomes frequent or hostile, it can affect them in many ways. According to research by the Early Intervention Foundation (EIF) on parental conflict, it can have a negative impact on:

Research also suggests long-term parental conflict may also affect how we parent our children. There can be a 'spillover' of emotion, with parents or carers in distressed relationships sometimes being more hostile and aggressive towards their children as well as less sensitive and emotionally responsive to their children's needs as they try to cope with their situation ( EIF, 2020).

If you're concerned that conflict in your relationship might be having a negative impact on your family, there are things you can do. It's never too late to make positive changes.

How to reduce parental conflict

No relationship is perfect, there will always be conflict, but there are practical things you can do to reduce it.

Disagreements are part of every relationship it's how we handle them that matters. By being open, respectful, and willing to change, you can help create a home where everyone feels heard, safe, and valued.

And remember you don't have to face things alone. There's help and support available.

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Managing parental conflict: a guide to healthier family relationships

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People have different opinions, emotions, and ways of handling stress, so it's natural for conflicts to arise from time to time. What matters most is how these conflicts are managed. This page is here to help you understand what parental conflict is, what causes it, and how to reduce it in your family.

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The Plymouth Online Directory helps people find local services, support and activities across Plymouth. It brings together information for children, young people, families, and professionals all in one place.

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Neurodiversity Wellbeing Team will be supporting all Plymouth families who have a child/young person who experiences challenges with their neurodiversity. This wellbeing support can focus on areas such as sleep, diet, anxiety management, school difficulties, friendships and behaviour strategies for children and young people between the ages of 0 – 18 years.

Tel: 01752 435404

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Our Family Hubs offer a range of support services for families in Plymouth – both in person and online.

Family Hubs support families from pregnancy, through childhood, and up to age 19 (or 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities).

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A place for families, parents, carers and young people in Plymouth to find support and advice.

Family Hubs provide you and your family with children aged 0 to 19 (up to 25 for Young People with SEND) with support, when you need it, in a way that suits you. Eventually we will have Family Hub points across the City.

Our 'Start for Life' offer, supporting pregnancy through to 4 is the first stage of the programme to go live, you will be able to access this through Family Hubs, Children's Centres and online.

Find your nearest Family Hub on the Plymouth Online Directory.

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A place for families, parents, carers and young people in Plymouth to find support and advice

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Mental health is about how we think, feel, and cope with everyday life. It affects how we manage stress, build relationships, make choices and handle challenges. Just like physical health, everyone has mental health, and it can change over time depending on what’s happening in our lives.

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The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) in Plymouth is here to support children and young people with their emotional wellbeing. Our team work with schools, children and parents to provide early support for mild to moderate mental health difficulties, such as anxiety, low mood, and phobias. We also help schools embed a Whole School Approach to promote positive mental health and offer guidance to parents and school staff on how to best support children and young people.

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Please note – this is a referral for our Mental Health in Schools Support Team and not a referral for CAMHS support. Our service supports children and young people aged 5 years- 18 years in Plymouth. We can only accept referrals for children and young people registered with a Plymouth GP. For urgent help with mental health needs, please contact NHS 111 and select the ‘Mental Health option’. For adult mental health referrals, please contact Plymouth Options- 01752 435419 Consent: All children under the age of 12 need parental consent Self-referrals, age 12 + will be looked at by a case by case basis.

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Social Media Safety Guidelines for Parents and Carers

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Social Media Safety Guidelines for Parents and Carers

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A brilliant guide for parents and carers who need to support their young person who is anxious about going in to school or is refusing to go in to school.

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It's normal for children and young people to feel worried about something that's happening at school - for example, when starting a new school or during exams. Sometimes, however, school can become challenging, stressful or distressing over a much longer period of time.

If your child is feeling anxious about school, or not able to go, it can be exhausting for both of you. Mornings in particular can become really stressful for the whole family, as you try to juggle your child's feelings alongside the need to get them to school and get on with your other responsibilities such as work. Even if you manage to get your child to the school gate, you might know how difficult they're going to find the day - or know that you'll be facing the same problem tomorrow morning.

If you're in this situation, we've got advice to help you explore what's going on with your child, make changes at school that can help, and find the support you need if your child can't go to school.

Young people can feel anxious about school for lots of different reasons. They might be worried about making friends or fitting in, find schoolwork or lessons confusing, feel pressured to learn in a certain way or find their relationships with teachers difficult.

Sometimes, going through difficult experiences outside of school - such as bereavement, an illness in the family or being a young carer - can also make it harder for a child to feel settled at school.

For some young people, the school environment isn't right for them, and trying to fit into it can create a huge amount of stress. This might be the case if they are struggling with their mental health, or have a neurodiverse condition or Special Educational Need (SEN) such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia. This can make the school environment anxiety-provoking and exhausting, especially if their condition or need is undiagnosed or not being well supported.

Young people might show they're feeling anxious about school by:

not wanting to get up and get ready

saying they can't go

worrying a lot about small issues, such as having the right equipment for a lesson

feeling sick, or having stomach aches or headaches

not sleeping well

not doing schoolwork, or their grades dropping

being angry or upset, or acting out - at school or at home

withdrawing - seeming low, quiet or depressed

It's often difficult for your child to articulate the problem. They may be in a heightened state of stress and not know why or feel able to explain. Your child probably wants to feel able to be in school, just as much as you want them to be there. In many cases it just doesn't feel possible.

Sometimes it can be difficult to work out what's making your child feel anxious, and the first step is often helping them to identify exactly what's worrying them. Once you understand the problem, you'll be in a much better position to make changes that can help.

Young people can find it hard to explain what's causing their feelings, and might not be able to answer direct questions like 'what's going on?' Using an anxiety iceberg can help to open up the conversation - giving you a more relaxed way of exploring together what's causing their anxiety.

Watch our video to find out how to make an anxiety iceberg with your child.

If you're making an anxiety iceberg with younger children, you might want to draw images on the iceberg, or encourage them to write simple words. With older children and teenagers, you can ask them to write key words and phrases on the iceberg, or do this as a mind map, with 'school' in the middle and all the things they're finding difficult around the outside.

Through this exercise, you might identify worries such as arriving at school, finding the environment noisy or overwhelming, finding lessons confusing, feeling lonely through the day, or feeling uncomfortable during specific subjects.

Once you understand what's going on for your child, you can use their anxiety iceberg or mind map to communicate with the school and ask for specific changes.

Follow these steps to start a conversation with the school:

Here are some examples of things you can ask the school for:

Remember that even though this situation can be really tough for you and your child, it's a good idea to maintain a positive relationship with the school. Recognise the support they're offering and any changes they're making. This will help you work together to make things better for your child.

Building a relationship with the attendance team at my son's school was hugely helpful, we were talking with them each day.

If your child isn't going to school at the moment, it might feel incredibly stressful and tiring. You might be worried about when they will be able to get back to school or the impact on their education. Or you might feel overwhelmed because you're juggling this alongside work and other family commitments. Things are probably feeling tough for your child too.

During this time, it's important to keep working with teachers and other staff to try strategies that can help your child get back to school. Keep encouraging them to take achievable steps towards attending too. When the right support is in place, it's often easier for a young person to get back into their usual routine if they can return to school as quickly as possible.

If your child's anxiety about school has built up to the point where they can't go, it's a good idea to get them some professional mental health or SEN support. Find out how to do this further down the page.

Alongside requesting professional help, try to:

The school's SEN and attendance policies should be on their website. Knowing what these are can support you during meetings with the school.

This can help if your child is unable to go to school for a longer period of time and you need to ask for more support, including provision of alternative full-time education.

Encourage your child to get up, do some studying and stop for lunch at the same times they would if they were in school. This will make adapting back to school easier. Explain to your child that if they cannot go to school, they will need to study at home - at least until alternative arrangements are put in place. Ask the school to help you facilitate tasks and activities your child can do and use online resources such as BBC Bitesize.

Not going to school could leave your child feeling really isolated. Make sure they stay connected to the outside world by seeing friends and family, doing activities they enjoy and getting outside for walks and exercise.

Speaking to friends online can be really important if your child is feeling isolated at home. Sometimes, however, you might notice that your child is spending lots of time gaming or on their phone, and that this is getting in the way of important daily activities like spending quality time with family, learning, or sleeping and eating well. If this is becoming a problem, have a look at our guide to gaming or guide to social media for more information and advice.

Local authorities must provide alternative education if a child of compulsory school age is unable to attend school over a longer period of time. If your child cannot attend school because of a mental or physical health issue, the local authority should provide an alternative as soon as it is clear that they will be away from school for more than 15 days (either consecutively or over time). Find out how to request alternative education.

Getting back to school after weeks or months may feel extremely difficult for your child, but you and the school can help make it more manageable. Here are some things you can do to help:

Set small, achievable targets, such as visiting the building outside school hours or attending one lesson.

Request a home visit from a school staff member so your child can check in while feeling safe, see that the school cares and discuss any strategies that might help them.

Ask for a reduced timetable, with regular reviews to discuss building back up at a manageable rate.

Discuss changing classes or sets if your child thinks this would help.

Focus on qualifications needed for what your child wants to do next, perhaps dropping a less relevant GCSE to reduce stress.

My son wasn't questioned about his absence when he did feel able to pop in for favourite lessons, helping to ease him back into full days of education.

If your child is struggling with anxiety and it's affecting their day-to-day life, learning or relationships, it's a good idea to find some professional support. Speaking to the GP and finding them a counsellor or therapist are two good places to start. You can find more information about GPs, counsellors and other mental health services in our guide to getting support from mental health services.

If there is no other obvious reason for your child's inability to attend school, they may have an undiagnosed Special Educational Need (SEN) such as dyslexia, autism or ADHD.

If you think this is the case:

Speak to the school's SENCO or your GP to ask for a referral for an assessment.

While you are waiting for an assessment, you can also ask the SENCO to refer your child for support from other professionals, such as an Educational Psychologist or Speech and Language Therapist. These professionals can identify specific needs and make recommendations for additional support the school can put in place - even if your child hasn't had a formal diagnosis yet.

SEN support at school
If your child is diagnosed with SEN, extra support and adjustments should be put in place at school to help them attend and learn. This is called SEN support, and should be available within the school's existing resources. Speak to the school's SENCO in the first instance about how the school will support your child.
Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans
If you do not think your child's needs can be met by the school's existing resources, you can ask the local authority to carry out an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHC needs assessment). If the local authority decides your child needs additional support, they will then make an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC plan). This outlines how the extra support they need will be provided. Find out more about EHC plans.
Your Local Offer
Your Local Offer is the information, support and services available for young people with SEN, and for their parents and families. You can find out what support is available in your area by going to your local authority's website and searching for their Local Offer.

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

We have more tips and advice on supporting your child with school, and information about how you can get in touch with our Parents Helpline.
This page was reviewed in December 2022. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with school anxiety. We will next review the page in 2025. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

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

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

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School Anxiety and Refusal | Parent Guide to Support

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If your child is anxious about school, or refusing to go to school at all, read our tips and advice on how you can support their mental health.

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While You are Waiting - links to services offering support whilst you are on a waiting list

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While You are Waiting - links to services offering support whilst you are on a waiting list

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Develop a deeper understanding of young people’s digital lives, spot warning signs, and create safer gaming spaces to confidently guide your children.

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Podcast: Online safety - a young person’s perspective | NSPCC Learning

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Two young people from the NSPCC’s Voice of Online Youth group provide an insight into what life online is like for them, what makes them feel safe online and the online safety topics they’d like to learn more about.

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Free Training on Harms associated with Gaming and Gambling

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Free Training on Harms associated with Gaming and Gambling

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Free CPD Training for Teachers & Youth Workers | YGAM

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Free CPD training to help safeguard young people from gaming and gambling harms. Book your free session today.

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Helpful videos on common mental health difficulties - Nip in the Bud

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Helpful videos on common mental health difficulties - Nip in the Bud

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Learning about Children's Mental Health through Film

Nip in the Bud is regularly adding new FREE resources - short films and fact sheets - to raise mental health awareness among primary school staff, teacher trainees, anyone working with children, parents, carers and young people.

Early intervention is key, so the negative impacts of these conditions can be 'nipped in the bud' and so reduce the risk of them becoming entrenched. Our films cover Expert Information on different conditions, Real Life Experience, Emotional Wellbeing and Coping with the Aftermath of Covid.

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Nip in the Bud | Child Mental Health Resources for Parents and Teachers

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Nip in the Bud® works with mental health professionals of the highest standing to produce FREE short evidence-based films and fact sheets to help parents, educationalists and others working with children to recognise potential mental health conditions. The goal is to increase the prospects of early intervention and to avoid those conditions becoming more serious in later years.

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This video explains the support we offer to Secondary schools.

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Mental Health Support Team in Secondary Schools

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This video explains the support we offer to Primary schools.

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Mental Health Support Team for Primary Schools

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Often when a young person receives an autism diagnosis, parents are told what autism is, but young people do not get the opportunity to understand it themselves. We have created a website, called Autism Understood , which was made in partnership with autistic young people themselves as well as professionals, parents and autistic adults.

This website is aimed at autistic young people aged 10+ and contains an epic amount of information that will help people understand more about what autism actually is. While the website was launched in July 2023, there are still resources on more topics that we are working on, and new content continues to be added.

Often when a young person receives an autism diagnosis, parents are told what autism is, but young people do not get the opportunity to understand it themselves. We have created a website, called Autism Understood , which was made in partnership with autistic young people themselves as well as professionals, parents and autistic adults.

This website is aimed at autistic young people aged 10+ and contains an epic amount of information that will help people understand more about what autism actually is. While the website was launched in July 2023, there are still resources on more topics that we are working on, and new content continues to be added.

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Resources for Young People: Autism Understood

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Often when a young person receives an autism diagnosis, parents are told what autism is, but young people do not get the opportunity to understand it themselves. We have created a website, called Autism Understood, which was made in partnership with autistic young people themselves as well as professionals, parents and autistic adults.

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Support for young people with ASC around getting support from others

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Through our work we have found that sometimes young people can struggle to understand where to go when they are upset and seeking support with how they are feeling. It can be helpful to work with a young person to identify key people or services in their life who they can talk to when they are upset or distressed, so that they can receive appropriate support.

We have created this resource and activity, called 'Who Can I Talk To?', for parents and professionals to work through in collaboration with young people, in order to support them to understand what options they have when they need help.

As well as helping young people to understand their support options, it also covers things such as the idea of seeking emotional consent before 'venting' to someone, how to deal with others wanting to vent to you, and links to mental health services and helplines.

Through our work we have found that sometimes young people can struggle to understand where to go when they are upset and seeking support with how they are feeling. It can be helpful to work with a young person to identify key people or services in their life who they can talk to when they are upset or distressed, so that they can receive appropriate support.

We have created this resource and activity, called 'Who Can I Talk To?', for parents and professionals to work through in collaboration with young people, in order to support them to understand what options they have when they need help.

As well as helping young people to understand their support options, it also covers things such as the idea of seeking emotional consent before 'venting' to someone, how to deal with others wanting to vent to you, and links to mental health services and helplines.

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'Who Can I Talk To?': Supporting Young People to Access Help and Support

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Through our work we have found that sometimes young people can struggle to understand where to go when they are upset and seeking support with how they are feeling.

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Many autistic young people struggle with sleep, but also find that typical "sleep hygiene strategies" often aren't helpful.

So we have worked with our community to write a guide to autism and sleep! Thank you The Sleep Charity for reviewing this and Jo for designing the booklet.

Many autistic young people struggle with sleep, but also find that typical "sleep hygiene strategies" often aren't helpful.

So we have worked with our community to write a guide to autism and sleep! Thank you for reviewing this and Jo for designing the booklet.

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Many autistic young people struggle with sleep, but also find that typical "sleep hygiene strategies" often aren't helpful.So we have worked with our community to write a guide to autism and sleep! Thank you The Sleep Charity for reviewing this and Jo for designing the booklet.The guide is free to use, access and share and can be downloaded here.

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Resources for Children, Parents and Families

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stem4 - supporting teenage mental health

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stem4 is a charity that supports positive mental health in teenagers. Mental health information, apps and education. Founders of Youth Mental Health Day.

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A letter from our founder

Dear Parent,

I see you; I know you're there; I know the despair, the hurt and upset you are feeling. I know the feeling of blame, the guilt and the constant searching for answers and reasons. I know the sleepless nights, the worry about keeping your family safe, the struggle of trying to hold down employment. I know the looks and comments you get from family, friends and professionals, the tug you feel in your heart. I know that horrific pain that is running through you. I know how you hate yourself when you have thoughts of asking services for help or even to have your child placed with them. I know the failing you feel and how you are trying to survive each day without incident or trauma. I know you feel so isolated and alone even if you do have support around you. I know you're doing the best you can in a situation where you have nowhere to turn. I know this is not your fault and that you are not to blame.

How do I know this? Because I was you. I was being abused by my child. I had all of those feelings and more. Accepting my child's behaviour was abusive was not easy or something I even wanted to consider, but this was the reality. Things will not always be this tough, things can improve and you as a family will find a safe way that works for you.

Right now, you may feel that nobody understands and that your situation is beyond help or support. I promise you it is not. You are not alone. I hear you. I will listen, help and act alongside you if needed.

PEGS was started to help those going through similar situations of extreme difficulty and worry.

PEGS is here for you, created out of trauma but going forward with love, passion and determination to see change.

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Child to parent abuse | Parental Education Growth Support (PEGS)

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PEGS has been set up to support both parents and professionals deal with the issues associated with child-to-parent abuse. Supporting parents and professionals with child to parent abuse. Learn More

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Last year my son received support from the MHST Team. He was not in a good place when he started working with them and if he had dropped out of school last summer I would have understood why.

He finished his sessions in October '22 and took his A Levels this summer. I am delighted to tell you that he was awarded 3As and he is off to University in September. He also has a little group of friends now and had a party for his 18th birthday. This is all a big turnaround from a year ago.

I feel that MHST support was crucial for him and kept him going when he could have dropped out.

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Body scanner activity - mindfulness for children

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Body scanner activity - mindfulness for children

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The Body Scanner! Mindfulness for Children - YouTube

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The Body Scanner! Mindfulness for Children

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54321 grounding exercise - Managing anxiety 

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54321 grounding exercise - Managing anxiety 

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The 5-4-3-2-1 Method: A Grounding Exercise to Manage Anxiety - YouTube

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The 5-4-3-2-1 Method: A Grounding Exercise to Manage Anxiety

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"I am extremely grateful to have been given this opportunity and I feel very lucky with the Practitioner that I got to work with. She instantly made me feel I could be successful and that the efforts I would be putting in to learn how to support my child would be of great benefit to him and in turn the family. I see great value in the before and after questionnaires and the continuing scoring weekly. I even surprised myself at how the scores changed week on week and slowly I could see how my child’s anxieties were lessening week on week. Finally, I would like to say a really big Thank you for being so understanding, caring, professional and approachable throughout my Parent Led CBT. I hope she realises how much she has helped my little boy and I will without question, continue to use the methods and practices she had taught me."

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"I just wanted to say thank you so very much for all your help, I know D comes off as a bit 'goofy' sometimes and I tend to do a lot of the talking but he really has found this very useful and helpful. From a personal point of view the change in him has been really good and the harmony that your sessions have brought to the household has been wonderful. Thank you so very much for all your help"

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A website about Autism, for Autistic young people

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A website about Autism, for Autistic young people

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Parents and school staff (such as mental health leads or members of the senior leadership team) can refer young people to our service for support. If you are a young person (aged 12 and over) , you are also welcome to refer yourself.

Once we receive a referral, our team will review the information to see whether it meets our criteria. If it does, we will arrange a consultation or assessment to understand your needs and determine how we can best support you. If our service is not the right fit, we will help by signposting you to other services that may be more suitable.

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Useful Phone Numbers for other Services in Plymouth

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Useful Phone Numbers for other Services in Plymouth

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What is anxiety? - The Mix

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Most people feel anxious from time to time - but what is anxiety? The Mix answers your questions about symptoms and treatment for anxiety.

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Childline | Childline

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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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https://www.youngminds.org.uk/

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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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First Response is available to anyone in Plymouth at the time of experiencing a mental health crisis.

You do not need to be an existing service user of Livewell.

Just call 111  if you need help 24/7.

First Response 24/7 Crisis Line | Livewell Southwest

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First Response 24/7 Crisis Line | Livewell Southwest

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Livewell Southwest’s First Response Service is a 24/7 crisis line providing advice, support and signposting for people experience mental health difficulties.

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MHST-Interventions-Offer.pdf (livewellsouthwest.co.uk)

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Threshold.docx (live.com)

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We always welcome your feedback about our service. If you’d like to share what we’re doing well or tell us how we could improve, please click the link to let us know!

New - Review - iWantGreatCare