SEMH services and support

SEMH support and services for children and young people, families and education professionals.

Children and young people services and support

For SEMH services and support for children and young people use the following information, links and downloads.

ADHD

For information about ADHD in children and young people visit the ADHD Foundation website.​

Anti-racism

For a factsheet to help teachers improve inclusion and prevent racist bullying in their schools download our Primary schools anti-racism and emotional wellbeing and mental health document (Word, 23KB).

Anxiety

For SEMH services and support for anxiety use the following links: ​

ARFID: Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder

Children with ARFID are likely to have very restricted diets, will only eat certain meals, and may find lunchtimes very uncomfortable due to anxiety or environmental factors.

For resources from ARFID Awareness UK, which has information for schools and settings to help adults understand about reasonable adjustments that can be considered and made, visit ARFID Awareness UK to download the following booklets:

Bereavement

For guidance on supporting bereaved children use the Child Bereavement UK How to support a bereaved child YouTube video.

For bereavement support for children and young people (up to the age of 25 years) visit the Winston’s Wish website.

Counselling for under-18s

For free, safe and anonymous online support and counselling for children and young people visit the Kooth.com website.

For counselling services for children and young people aged 5 to 18 years visit the Place2Be website.

Drugs and alcohol

For SEMH services and support for young people about drugs and alcohol misuse use the following links:

Early interventions

​The POWER project is a targeted early intervention project across Greater Essex. POWER practitioners offer direct support to children and young people aged 8-13, their parent/carers and their school to help them develop ways of coping with challenging situations.

Eligibility criteria include having had contact with Essex Police, and struggling emotionally and behaviourally at school and home.

Contact jethro.bodganov@essex.gov.uk to find out more or make a referral to the POWER project (new link 2021).

Eating disorders

For general guidance on eating disorders download the Anna Freud Eating Disorders document.

Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service

The service’s children's wellbeing practitioner (CWP) can deliver interventions for children and young people presenting the following:

  • adolescent anxiety - 13 to 18 years old
  • challenging behaviour - 5 to 10 years
  • child anxiety - 5 to 12 years
  • mild to moderate low mood - 13 to 18 years

For more information about this intervention download our CWP leaflet (PDF, 210KB).

Essex Sexual Health Service

For guidance on where to send young people for help download Where to direct a young person for help document.

For more details about our free and confidential services for under-16s visit the Essex Sexual Health Service website.

For resources to support staff and young people in your school or setting use the following links:

If you have any questions or require further information email essex@tht.org.uk or provide.essexsexualhealthservice@nhs.net

Exams

For SEMH services and support for children and young people around exams use the following links and download: ​​

Health

For services and support for children and young people around health use the following links: ​

Knife harm

For support for young people and young adults and to talk to them about knives and weapons visit the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit website’s Knife Harm Resources web page.

LGBTQI+

For SEMH services and support for children and young people around LGBTQ+ use the following links and download:

Medication

For information to help young people know more about mental health medications visit the YoungMinds Medications web page.

Mental health

For jargon busters to explain SEMH acronyms and terms use the following links and download:

For SEMH services and support for children and young people use the following links:

Mental health support teams (MHSTs) for schools and colleges

For contact and other details for the MHSTs in Essex download our Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in Essex map (PDF, 235KB).

To find out more about the roll-out of mental health support teams visit the NHS England Mental health support in schools and colleges web page.

Primary specific support

For a sci-fi podcast adventure for 7 to 11 year olds about the importance of kindness visit The Rez website.

For a range of resources for children to support their SEMH visit the Childline Coping kit web pages.

Psychosis

At Risk Mental State (ARMS) for Psychosis mental health service offering support to people aged 14 to 35 who may be struggling with experiences like having unusual thoughts, feeling paranoid or hearing voices. We work with anyone who is registered with a GP in south east, south west or mid Essex. 

Relationships, Health and Sex Education (RHSE)

For local RHSE information - including teaching resources and contact details for locally commissioned services, download the Relationships, health and sex education (RHSE) curriculum support and contact information for Essex schools document (PDF, 270KB).

For SEMH services and support for children and young people around relationships use the following links and download:

Secondary specific support

For free mental health literacy resources for secondary school or college PSHE visit the stem4 education Head Ed web page.

Self-care

For services and support for children and young people around self-care use the following links and download:

Self-harm, self-injury and suicide

For SEMH helpline support for children and young people around self-harm and suicide use the following links:

  • Hopeline - Free 24/7, 365 days a year telephone support for children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties
  • Samaritans helpline - Free 24/7, 365 days a year telephone, text and email support for anyone experiencing mental health difficulties
  • Shout 58258 - Free 24/7, 365 days a year text support for children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties

For services and support for children and young people around self-harm and suicide use the following links and download:

For services and support around suicide safety planning use the following links and downloads:

Self-regulation

For support to help primary school children manage feelings and emotions, visit the Mental Health Center Kids Coping Skills for kids YouTube video.

Southend, Essex and Thurrock Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (SET CAMHS)

Service for anybody between 0 and 18 years and free at the point of entry.

Also available for young people with SEND up to the age of 25.

For more information visit the SET CAMHS website.

You can also download and hand out our SET CAMHS leaflet (PDF, 6.3MB).

To make a referral for a child or young person:

Telephone: 0800 953 0222

Email: set-camhs.referrals@nelft.nhs.uk

Lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm

For urgent and out-of-hours help contact NELFT:

Telephone: 0800 995 1000

For concerns about children and young people already open to SET CAMHS contact their clinician of the day:

Telephone: 0800 953 0222

Suicide

For SEMH services support for children and young people see our ‘Self-harm, self-injury and suicide’ section.

Transitions

For SEMH services and support for primary and secondary transitions use the following links and download:

Primary

​Primary and secondary

Secondary