Crisis Support

We do not offer crisis support, but here are some websites to visit and numbers you can call if you are really worried and need help urgently:

  • Emergency Services – if you are in need of urgent medical help please contact 999 or attend your local Accident and Emergency department.
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Crisis Service – If you are under 18 and are currently open to the Crisis Team with a care plan or a discharge plan, your care plan will have details of who to contact.

    If you are having a mental health crisis and have never received CAMHS Crisis Service assistance, you should call 111.
  • Livewell Southwest’s ‘First Response Service’ – a 24/7 helpline for Plymouth, providing advice, support and signposting for people experiencing mental health difficulties. Call them on 0800 9239323.
  • Samaritans – support for anyone feeling down, experiencing distress or struggling to cope. Visit their website www.samaritans.org or call their 24 hour hotline on 116123.
  • ChildLine – a free, private and confidential 24 hour service for under 19’s, to talk through any issue they’re going through. Talk on the phone, online using their 1-2-1 counsellor chat or send them a message on their website. Visit their website www.childline.org.uk or call them on 0800 1111.
  • YoungMinds ‘Crisis Messenger’ – urgent support for young people experiencing a mental health crisis. Text ‘YM’ 85258 for help.
  • The Mix - if you are under 25, you can contact The Mix for free by phone, text, email or via webchat. Use their phone counselling service, or get more information on support services you might need, for all areas of life. Visit their website www.themix.org.uk, call them on 0808 808 4994 (1pm – 11pm daily) or text ‘THEMIX’ to 85258.
  • Papyrus - confidential, crisis support for suicidal young people. For help and suicide prevention advice (9am – midnight daily) call 0800 068 4141, text 07860039967 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org.
  • Kooth – free, safe and anonymous 24/7 online support for young people. Visit their website www.kooth.com


Other Wellbeing Support Options

Young People

  • YoungMinds – mental health support and advice, and helpful resources. Visit their website www.youngminds.org.uk.
  • Y-Smart – drug and alcohol service for under 18’s. Visit their website www.y-smart.org.uk.
  • Think U Know – staying safe online advice for 4+ year olds, and parents. Visit their website www.thinkuknow.co.uk.


18+ Options

  • Livewell SouthWest – providing free confidential, NHS talking therapy for 16+ year olds in Plymouth, as well as community care services, services for people with learning disabilities, services for young people and children, physiotherapy and social work. They also provide helpful resources for parents. Visit their website www.livewellsouthwest.co.uk.
Low cost counselling services:

The Margaret Jackson Centre (Exeter) – www.margaretjackson.org.uk.
The Quiet Mind Centre (Exmouth)  - www.quiet-mind.org.
The Iron Mill (Exeter)  - www.ironmill.co.uk/counselling-service/overview.
Dartmoor Counselling (Newton Abbot) – www.dartmoorcounselling.org.
Clarity Counselling (North Devon) – www.claritynorthdevon.org.uk.



Parent/Carer Support

  • Action for Children ‘Parent Talk’ – find answers to parenting questions in online advice articles, talk to a parenting coach through their online live chat, and discover fun activities for children and young people. Visit their website www.parents.actionforchildren.org.uk.
  • Shout – free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258, or visit their website to find out more www.giveusashout.org.
  • YoungMinds Parent Resources – helpful resources and advice from professionals for parents, on how to support young people. Visit their website www.youngminds.org.uk/parent.
  • YoungMinds ‘Parent Helpline’ – free advice, emotional support and support signposting about a child or young person up to the age of 25; via phone, webchat or email. Access their webchat and email support, by visiting their website www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-helpline-and-webchat or call them on 0808 802 5544 (webchat and phone helpline is available Monday – Friday, 9:30am – 4pm).
  • Relate – the UK’s largest provider of relationship support. Helping people of all ages, backgrounds, sexual orientations and gender identities strengthen their relationships; through one-off conversations, family counselling and/or mediation, relationship counselling, and children and young people’s counselling. Visit their website www.relate.org.uk.
  • Barnardos ‘Support Hub’ – resources, tools and practical advice for parents, to help manage the wellbeing of themselves and their family. Visit their website www.barnardos.org.uk/support-hub.
  • Family Lives – providing targeted early intervention and crisis support for parents and families. Get help through their confidential hotline, live chat, online forums, resources and advice. Contact them for emotional support, information and guidance on any aspect of parenting and family life. Visit their website www.familylives.org.uk, or call them on 0808 800 2222.
  • Devon Children and Families Partnership – providing support for children and families in Devon, and helpful resources. Visit their website www.dcfp.org.uk.


LGBTQ+

  • Intercom Trust – a lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans+ charity working across the South West, providing support, helpful information, advocacy, counselling and support groups. Visit their website www.intercomtrust.org.uk, or call their free, confidential helpline on 0800 612 3010.
  • Proud2be – a social enterprise that supports all LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, non-binary + more) people in Devon and beyond, to lead empowered, fulfilled and authentic lives. Young people and adults can access online socials, and 1-2-1 practical and emotional support, and professionals can access resources and training. Visit their website www.proud2be.org.uk.


Bereavement

  • Pete’s Dragons – helping people living through the suicide of a loved one. Visit their website www.petesdragons.org.uk or call them on 01395 277 780 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm).
  • Balloons – practical, emotional and social support to children and young people from 5-25 years old, in Exeter, East and Mid-Devon, when someone significant in their lives dies. Access 1-1 grief support, advice and support for families, young adults and professionals in relation to bereavement, and online resources. Visit their website www.balloonscharity.co.uk, or call them on 01392 826064.
  • Jeremiah’s Journey – free professional therapeutic support for children, young people and their parents/carers when they are anticipating or have experienced the death of a loved one. Access their advice line, individual or family sessions and ongoing support. Visit their website www.jeremiahsjourney.org.uk, call them on 01752 424348 (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, 10am – 12pm) or email info@jeremiahsjourney.org.uk.


Domestic Abuse Support



Sexual Assault

  • Devon Rape Crisis – confidential, professional support to survivors of rape, sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse in Devon. Visit their website www.devonrapecrisis.org.uk, call their anonymous helpline on 01392 204 174 or email support@devonrapecrisis.org.uk. (Helpline and email support available Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 6pm – 9pm).
  • National Rape Crisis Freephone Helpline – run by Rape Crisis South London; this helpline offers confidential emotional support, information and referral details. Call them on 0808 802 9999 (12pm – 2pm and 7pm – 9:30pm daily).


Eating Disorder Guidance



Self Harm

  • Calm Harm – a free app that helps to manage or resist the urge to self-harm. Find out more, by visiting their website www.calmharm.co.uk


Self Care

  • Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families – self-help strategies for children, young people and adults. Visit their website www.annafreud.org/selfcare.
  • Mind – free information and support for mental health concerns. Visit their website www.mind.org.uk.