Your health/mental health
Your health is very important and there is lots of support available. Find out more below.
Your mental health
Your mental health (also known as emotional health and wellbeing) is very important, as it affects how you feel about yourself and others, and everything you do. Moving out of your home, or moving in and out of care can be really stressful. It can also cause feelings of anger, sadness or loneliness. There are people who can help you find ways to cope and take positive steps to move forward with your life.
We have listed some organisations below that can help. Further sources of mental health support for young people can be found on the Buckinghamshire Council Youthspace pages.
Talk to your doctor
If you’re worried about the way you are feeling or you are going through a difficult time, it might help to speak to your GP. For advice on talking to your doctor and tips to get the most out of your appointment, take a look at Mind’s guide for young people.
CAMHS – mental health support from the NHS
CAMHS is a service that works with children and young people from 0-18 and with Care Leavers up until the age of 19. CAMHS stands for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. There is more information on the CAMHS website.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help – anyone including your social worker, carer or teacher or doctor can refer you into CAMHS, or if you are aged 14 or older you can phone CAMHS yourself and ask for help.
The phone number for CAMHS is 01865 901951. You can phone from 8am-6pm Monday to Friday.
Youth Concern Counselling (Aylesbury)
Youth Concern counselling is available free to anyone in Aylesbury Vale between the ages of 13 to 25. They offer 20 sessions of person-centred counselling, face to face, by video call or by telephone.
If you need to talk about something that is upsetting you or making you unhappy, their trained counsellors will listen and help you make sense of what’s going on in your life. Person-centred counselling allows you to talk about what matters to you, in your own time and without any pressure. You can find out more on the Youth Concern website or email counselling@youthconcern.org.uk
Youth Enquiry Service (Wycombe)
The Youth Enquiry Service (YES) counselling service is completely free and confidential. If you have any concerns or difficulties in your life, feel confused or no one you can to talk to YES would like to be there for you.
The service is available for 13 – 25 year olds. If you are older or younger than this then please get in touch and they can help you find the right service for you.
Counselling can help you to take decisions and make changes to your life. The YES are here to listen and help you make sense of your feelings. You can find out more on the YES website or email info@yeswycombe.org
Kooth
Kooth is a free, online counselling service for children and young people. It is anonymous, which means you do not have to tell the person you contact online who you are. You can sign up yourself to have an online counselling session with a trained counsellor. Kooth is available 12-10pm weekdays and 6-10pm weekends.
The website for Kooth is www.kooth.com.
Childline
Childline can help anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue they’re going through. You can talk about anything. Whether it’s something big or small, their trained counsellors can support you. Childline is free, confidential and available any time, day or night.
You can talk to them by calling 0800 1111 or visit their website to get in touch online.
Health Assessments
Your health is very important and you are entitled to a health assessment (or ‘check-up’) with a doctor when you come into care.
After this you will be offered a health check-up every year, usually with a nurse, until you leave care. You can tell us where and what time you’d rather be seen, and we’ll do our best see you at a time and place that suits you. The health check-up is a time to ask any questions you have about your health. The nurse or doctor will also ask you about your health and how you are getting on generally. It is not a test or exam. They will offer to weigh and measure you to see how you are growing. The doctor may listen to your heart using a stethoscope, but you won’t need to get undressed. The health assessment is important as it is a chance for the Doctor or Nurse to make sure you are getting the right support for your physical, emotional and mental health. They will give you advice and information about how to keep healthy.
The Looked After Children Health Team organise your health assessments but you can contact a nurse by emailing buc-tr.LAC@nhs.net and request a phone call back at any time.
Download the health assessment information leaflet for:
Confidentiality
You can speak with the doctor or nurse confidentially. This means they will only share information with your Social Worker and carers if you agree to it, or if they are worried about the safety and wellbeing of you or others. You can be seen alone if you want to.
However, if you’d prefer, your social worker, carer or Key Worker can be there too.
Leaving care
When you are 17 you will be seen for your final health assessment. This is important as you will find out lots of information that may be useful for your future. Once you turn 18 you will receive a Leaving Care Health Summary. This will sum up your health over the time since you’ve been in care, and it is important you keep this safe.