Mental Health in Waltham Forest

Kooth

Sometimes it can be hard for a young person to navigate their feelings. As a council we commission Kooth, an online platform offering confidential emotional wellbeing and counselling support to young people aged 11 to 19 who are feeling low or anxious. Young people can access self-help articles, counselling and moderated forums through the service.

Other resources for young people

• PAPYRUS (young suicide prevention society) offer help online to young people feeling suicidal.
• Anti-Bullying Alliance offer support to parents and children experiencing bullying.
• YoungMinds is an online platform offering practical tips and advice from young people, as well as information on getting the support you need.
• The Mix can offer support to young people under 25 years old, with online discussion boards, support groups and links to local services.
• The Outset Centre is a community centre ran by Project Zero, engaging young people in positive activities and holiday clubs to promote social inclusion, and provide young people with a safe space where they can get support if they need it. This is part of our Space4All programme. 

Resources for families and parents

• Family Hubs offer fun and educational services, activities, and support for families with young children.
• Our Early Help team works with other professionals, parents, and carers to intervene early in a child's life to make sure that problems are addressed before they can escalate. It supports families with children and young people aged 0 to 19 and up to 25 with a disability. 
• Define Fine can offer peer support to parents to navigate school attendance difficulties.
• The Waltham Forest CAMHS (Children and Adolescence Mental Health Service) Specialist mental health team providing support to children, young people and their families. They also offer a counselling and psychotherapy service called You and Me Counselling that works with children, young people, adults and their families
• Further mental health resources and support are also available on our Social, emotional and mental wellbeing pages as part of our Local Offer.

Resources for expecting families or new parents

• The Waltham Forest Health Visiting service is available to all families who have babies and children up to 5 years old. They provide a range of support on all aspects of parenting and mental health including feeling worried or postnatal depression. Contact by calling 0300 033 6200 or emailing thgpcg.wf0-19spa1@nhs.net.
• Flourish offers group support to mothers to talk about how they feel, their worries and anxieties and learn to have more fun with their babies. Contact them by emailing familysupport@tlpcc.org.uk
• A new father support service is available to expectant fathers and fathers to children under 2, including 1:1 counselling and group support. Contact 0208 527 1737 or email familysupport@tlpcc.org.uk.
• HENRY offers a Buddies Service for families who are pregnant or have a child under one. Providing regular one-to-one phone or video conversations, buddies will listen and provide families with the support they need as a parent or carer, offering practical ideas and signposts to services families can access. Contact them by emailing wfsupport@henry.org.uk
• Mellow Bumps is a free course for expectant parents with health and social care needs, that supports parents to feel more relaxed during pregnancy, improve their wellbeing and start to build a relationship with their baby. Mothers to be must be between 20 to 30 weeks gestation at the start of the course. Contact them by emailing famillysupport@tlpcc.org.uk for more information.
• NEWPIN (New Parent Infant Network) can support new parents who are struggling with parenting.
• The Parent and Baby Emotional Wellbeing (PBEW) Service supports the mental health and wellbeing of parents, babies and families and helps to nurture the emotional bond between parents and babies. The PBEW Service will offer appropriate support based on an assessment of you and your family's needs and refer you to one of the wide range of support services on offer in the borough. Contact 020 3787 4334 or email thgpcg.walthamforestpbew@nhs.net

Resources for College and University Students

If you’d like to talk to someone about any concerns you have about your mental health, your college or university wellbeing service is a good starting point. You can use the search function on the Student Space website to find support available at your place of study. Type in the name of your college or uni and it provides links to the services on offer.

You might also find the following websites, helplines and services useful:

• Good Thinking for Students
• The Student Room (UK's biggest student community)
• Beat (eating disorder charity)
• Frank (drugs advice)
• Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) (suicide prevention charity)