Safeguarding – Resources for Parents
Past Parent Newsletters
Additional Resources
We know that being a parent or carer isn’t always easy. Although it’s often amazing and rewarding to watch your children or young people grow up, it can also be really hard work. Things might feel especially difficult if your child or young person is struggling with their mental health at the moment. Or if their mood and behaviour seem different, and you're not sure why or what you can do to help. But you are not alone.
YoungMinds have lots of practical advice to help you support them – from encouraging them to open up, to navigating mental health services and finding them the right help.
Think U Know is an education programme from the National Crime Agency's CEOP Command, which keeps children and young people safe by providing education about sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.
The Think U Know website includes practical information, underpinned by the latest intelligence about child sex offending from CEOP Command, for parents and carers, as well as young people and professionals.
Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
CAMHS is the name for the NHS services that assess and treat young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties. CAMHS offers support for a wide range of emotional and behavioural difficulties, neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, self-harm, violent or angry behaviour, eating disorders, the effects of abuse or trauma, obsessions and compulsions, psychosis, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
There are local NHS CAMHS services around the UK, with teams made up of nurses, therapists, psychologists, child and adolescent psychiatrists, support workers and social workers, as well as other professionals.
Family Lives provides targeted early intervention and crisis support to families who are struggling. The issues they help families with include family breakdown, challenging relationships and behaviour, debt and emotional and mental wellbeing.
NSPCC Learning provides training and resources to help you protect children from abuse and neglect.
Portsmouth Safeguarding Children’s Partnership webpage shares information about what Early Help for families is. Children of any age can experience problems at times, and Early Help is available for families to bring together professionals who will work with the whole family on a range of issues including family relationships, behaviours that are challenging, housing issues, emotional and mental health, healthy relationships and alcohol and drug issues.
Early support is for everybody, for families with children and young people of any age, and it’s your choice whether to have it or not.