Are you worried about school, friendships or home? If you need to talk to someone, or help to make friends and be more active, then the groups below can help. There is also advice for parents of children who need help and support.
Mindfulness is a technique which can help people manage their mental health or simply gain more enjoyment from life. It involves making a special effort to give your full attention to what is happening to your body, mind or surroundings, in the present moment. Mindfulness describes a way of approaching our thoughts and feelings so we become more aware of them and react to them differently.
The Youth Alive programme (PDF) is for children and young people aged 10 to 19 who live or study in the Edmonton ward. It encourages them to look after their wellbeing, build their confidence and happiness, feel empowered, learn a new skill and take part in physical activities.
Through the programme, children and young people can take part in activities including basketball, football, cooking, acting and drama lessons. All activities will be carried out in line with Public Health England guidance on coronavirus infection, prevention and control.
Children and young people will be referred to their local health champion, who will discuss what the child or young person's interests are, and signpost them to free or low-cost activities. To take part, you can complete a referral form (PDF) and send to a link worker via email at socialprescribing@enfieldva.org.uk. Alternatively, you can telephone 020 8373 6268. Following the referral process, a young person will be contacted by a specialist Health Champion.
If you’re worried about bullying, you should check your school website to see their anti-bullying policy. You can also get support from:
If you're worried about a child or young person, encouraging them to talk can be very helpful whether you're a family member, friend or teacher.
If you're worried about your mental health, telling your doctor is the first step to getting help. You can speak to your doctor about your mental health and wellbeing at any age and it is confidential for anyone over 16, unless there is a concern about risk.
You should get help if you're experiencing anything that's worrying you, including:
The Youth Wellbeing Directory helps you locate local and national organisations if you're looking for help for yourself or someone you know.
Groups who can help:
Kooth is a web-based, confidential service that supports the wellbeing and resilience of young people.
The service, which launched in Enfield on 1 April 2020, provides a safe and secure way to access mental health and wellbeing support.
Young people can have a text-based conversation with a qualified counsellor. Counsellors are available every day of the year on a drop-in basis, from 12pm to 10pm on weekdays, and 6pm to 10pm at weekends. Young people can access regular booked online counselling sessions as needed. Outside counselling hours, young people can message the team and receive support by the next day.
For help on how to sign up, view the Kooth sign-up infographic (JPG).
Children may attend a nurture group in particular schools. These support children with social, emotional and mental health needs. The children are able to play, explore and learn in a small group with two trusted adults in a home-like environment. There is an emphasis on emotions and feelings, raising self-esteem, identity and self-expression and verbal communication. The school curriculum will be covered at the same time. Children must be appropriately assessed before entering the nurture group. For more information, check their SEN info report or speak to the SENCO.
These are small groups which run approximately twice a week in particular schools in Enfield. These are for children who have moderate difficulties around language and social skills. The groups follow a given structure that meets the needs as identified by an initial assessment. The activities are as practical as possible and allow many opportunities for speaking and listening, making choices, expressing needs, turn taking, and relating to others.
Place2Be provides emotional and therapeutic services in primary and secondary schools. They help to build children's resilience through talking, creative work and play.
If you're finding it difficult to cope and haven't been able to find support or get help from our services, you may need some more help.
The following film shows young people talking about their experience of dealing with a mental health issue and how our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) has helped them to overcome their problems:
CAMHS is a specialist community multi-disciplinary mental health service for children, young people and their families.
We provide assessment, treatment and support for the mental health, behavioural and emotional wellbeing of under 18s, working closely with families and carers.
Our team of mental health professionals includes:
We also work closely with the Educational Psychology Service.
The types of problems we can help with include:
There is a range of treatment available from therapeutic support and counselling, to medication prescribing and monitoring by a variety of professionals.
We also provide:
Referrals are accepted from schools, GPs, social care services, youth centres, youth offending organisations and other health and social care professionals.
View our referral forms for professionals.
For more information on referrals, email beh-tr.enfieldcamhs@nhs.net or for more information on SEWS, email eps-sews@enfield.gov.uk.
You can also visit our safeguarding page to report abuse or find out more.
If a young person or child's life is at risk and needs urgent medical assistance, you should contact your GP or go to an A&E department.
If you're concerned about the well-being of a child, due to risks such as emotional cruelty, neglect, physical or sexual abuse, contact the Enfield Safeguarding Children Board.
Enfield CAMHS provides a range of specialist services for children, young people and families in need of help due to or at risk of self-harm, suicidal feelings or severe psychiatric illness and psychosis.
The Service for Adolescents and Families in Enfield (SAFE) is a specialist team within CAMHS providing rapid, community-based intervention to young people aged 12 to 18 years in need of crisis mental health support. This includes young people who have harmed themselves or who are at risk of suicide. In addition SAFE offers specialist assessment and intervention to teenagers who may be experiencing severe mental health difficulties, such as severe psychiatric illness and psychosis.
Referrals to CAMHS are accepted from schools, GPs, social care services, youth centres, youth offending organisations and other health and social care professionals.
If a child or young person is at risk of permanent exclusion, the school should contact admissions. The child or young person may be referred to the Fair Access Panel where they will be discussed amongst a multi-agency group and further support and advice will be given to the school. Following this there may be a further meeting between the Senior Leadership Team in the school and professionals such as the Behaviour Support Service, Educational Psychology Service and CAMHS. This is called a multi-agency consultation meeting (MAC) which aims to support the school's thinking in preventing a permanent exclusion.
Our exclusions from school page provides more information about the different types of exclusion and what they mean.
Our Youth Offending Unit also offers help and support to young offenders and their families.
Helplines:The definition of what constitutes a critical incident, tragic event or trauma depends on the particular needs and perceptions of staff, pupils and parents at the time. The Educational Psychology Service and Local Authority CAMHS Team offer help in relation to traumatic events such as the violet or sudden death of a pupil, a school fire or a meningitis scare. Consultation with an outside professional has been valuable in considering the following issues:
If schools, colleges or other educational settings would like support following a critical incident they can contact the Educational Psychology Service or speak with their allocated Educational Psychologist in the first instance.
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust have developed the Thrive framework as a new model for CAMHS. It is a way of thinking about the needs of children, young people and their families. With this model needs are measured under four categories:
You may encounter some of the following professionals: