Resources

Allsorts 

Allsorts Youth Project listens to, connects & supports children & young people under 26 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity (LGBT+) and their families.

Amaze 

Amaze is here to support families that include a child or young person with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) across Sussex. We work with parent carers and with children and young people with SEND.

Calm Zone 

Childline resources page for parents to support a child or young person with activities such as yoga, breathing exercises and games.

Chat Health 

A confidential text-messaging service for people in education aged 11-19 years, offering advice and support about health related issues including social, emotional and mental health. 

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

We provide children and young people’s mental health services across Sussex and Hampshire. Referrals to the service must be made my a parent/carer or professional working with the child to the East Sussex Single Point of Advice (SPoA) 

Dragonflies CYP Bereavement Support 

Dragonflies offers free support to children aged 0-18 years old and their families who are experiencing pre or post bereavement. To make a referral please complete the Dragonflies Referral Form

E-motion online counselling 

A free online counselling project for young people aged 12-18 years who live in East Sussex.

East Sussex Young Carers 

East Sussex Young Carers provided by Imago funded by East Sussex County Council, supports Young Carers aged 5-18 who are responsible for caring for a family member with a long-term illness, disability, mental health or substance misuse issues.  

Education Futures Trust (EFT)

Supports children and families in Hastings and Rye with emotional wellbeing issues, offering programmes such as Forest School, Incredible Years Parenting Courses and much more.

Eggtooth Therapy & Counselling 

Talking therapy and counselling sessions are available to anyone who would like confidential mental health support. Sessions are offered online, over the phone, or face-to-face.

Fegans 

Evidence-based, tailor made support, counselling and free courses for parent and school support.

i-Rock 

Supports young people with issues relating to emotional and mental wellbeing, jobs, education and housing. Young people can self-refer to i-rock.

Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability (ISEND) services

ISEND services support children and young people with a wide range of additional and special educational needs, including behavioural and mental health.The majority of services only accept referrals from schools.

One You East Sussex 

The county's free healthy lifestyle service for residents. All services are free and based in various locations across East Sussex. Services include stop smoking, NHS health checks, coaching and mental health first aid training.

Open for Parents 

A free service that offers workshops, discussion groups, resources and a weekly. Parents and carers can self-refer.

School Health Service

A team of public health practitioners, led by school nurses, who work with children, young people and families in East Sussex. 

Single Point of Advice (SPoA) 

Advises practitioners and other professionals with concerns about immediate risks to a child or young person, or any concerns reaching Level 3 or 4 on the Continuum of Need. For out of hours queries, contact the Emergency Duty Service.

Sussex Community Rail Partnership

Support for children and young people to travel independently by train, particularly those facing additional challenges such as special educational needs or disabilities.

Sussex Prisoners' Families 

Support and advice for children, young people and families who have a relative in prison. Also offers training for professionals on awareness of related issues.

Sussex Recovery College

Offers educational courses about mental health and recovery which are designed to increase knowledge and skills and promote self-management.

The Youth Counselling Project 

Free counselling sessions within some Seaford schools, accessed through school staff. 

YMCA Dialogue 

Offers counselling, advice, mental health support and other wellbeing services to children, young people and families. 

Please see below some useful top tips for Parents/Carers:
 

• Know what your children are doing online and who they are talking to.
• Ask them to teach you to use any applications you have never used.
• Keeping the computer in a family room means that you can share your child’s online experience – and that they are less likely to act inappropriately (i.e. via webcam).
• Help your children to understand that they should never give out personal details to online friends — personal information includes their messenger ID, email address, mobile number and any pictures of themselves, their family or friends.
• If your child publishes a picture or video online, anyone can change it or share it.
• Remind them that anyone may be looking at their images and one day a future employer could!
• If your child receives spam/junk email & texts, remind them never to believe them, reply to them or use them.
• It’s not a good idea for your child to open files that are from people they don’t know. They won’t know what they contain — it could be a virus, or worse — an inappropriate image or film.
• Help your child to understand that some people lie online. They should never meet up with any strangers without an adult they trust.
• Always keep communication open for a child to know that it’s never too late to tell someone if something makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Teach your child how to block someone online and how to report them if they feel uncomfortable.
• The NSPCC are supporting young people and their families to discuss online safety, teaming up with the Lego Group to promote "Build & Talk" activities. Click HERE to access their website.