A–C | D–Z

Depression

Young Minds
102–108 Clerkenwell Road
London EC1M 5SA
Tel: 020 7336 8445 (Just for info and publications)
Parents' Information Service 0800 018 2138 (Mondays and Fridays 10am-1pm,
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 1-4pm)
Website: www.youngminds.org.uk
National charity committed to improving the mental health of all children and young people. Services include the Parents' Information Service, a free confidential helpline for any adult with concerns information about the mental health of a child or young person. YoungMinds also offers consultancy, seminars and training, leaflets and booklets for young people and publishes a bi-monthly magazine.

ChildLine
Helpline: 0800 11 11 (24 hours)
or write to:
Freepost 1111
London N1 0BR
General enquiries: 020 7239 1000 (Mondays to Fridays 9am-5.30pm)
or write to:
Royal Mail Buildings
Studd St
London N1 OBR
Website: www.childline.org.uk
UK's free, 24-hour helpline for children and young people in danger and distress. Trained volunteer counsellors provide comfort, advice and protection. Lines can be busy so please try again if you don't get through the first time.

Careline
Cardinal Heenan Centre
326-328 High Road
Ilford
Essex IG1 1QP
Tel: 020 8514 1177 (Mondays to Fridays 10am-4pm, 7-10pm)
Confidential telephone crisis counselling for children, young people and adults on any issues including sexual abuse, rape, eating disorders, HIV/AIDS, sexual health, addictions, stress, depression, anxieties and relationship problems. Other languages available. Face to face counselling for adults. Referrals to other agencies and support groups throughout the country.

Drug misuse

National Drugs Helpline
Freephone: 0800 77 66 00 (Every day 24 hours)
Freephone: 0800 77 66 00 (Every day 24 hours)
Textphone: 0800 917 8765
Website: www.nationaldrugshelpline.co.uk
Provide information and advice to anyone in the UK, on all aspects of drug related issues. Can refer to local specialist agencies. All calls are confidential.

Eating disorders

Eating Disorders Association
First Floor
Wensum House
103 Prince of Wales Road
Norwich NR1 1DW
Helpline: 01603 621414 (Mondays to Fridays 9am-6.30pm)
Youthline: 01603 765050 (Mondays to Fridays 4pm-6.30pm)
Website: www.edauk.com
Provides information, advice and publications on all aspects of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating and related eating disorders.

Gay and lesbian

Acceptance
64 Holmside Avenue
Halfway Houses
Sheerness
Kent ME12 3EY
Helpline: 01795 661 463 (Tues–Fri 7–9pm)
E-mail: jillandgordon@acceptance.fsnet.co.uk
A helpline offering advice and support for parents and families of lesbians and gay men. Main purpose is to break down feelings of isolation in a sensitive situation.

London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard
PO Box 7324
London
Tel: 020 7837 7324 (aiming to provide 24 hour service)
Website: www.llgs.org.uk
Confidential helpline aiming to provide 24 hour access to information, support and referral to lesbians and gay men or anyone who needs to consider lesbian or gay issues.

Legal advice

National Association of Citizen's Advice Bureaux
www.nacab.org.uk
Offers free, confidential and independent advice on issues including debt, benefits, housing, legal matters, employment, and immigration. Details of local CAB's can be found on the website or in your local telephone directory.

Citizen's Advice Scotland
www.cas.org.uk

Northern Ireland Association of Citizen's Advice Bureaux
www.niacab.org

Children’s Legal Centre
University of Essex,
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester CO4 3SQ
E-mail: clc@essex.ac.uk
Website: www.childrenslegalcentre.com
Adviceline: 01206 873 820 (Mondays to Fridays 10am-12.30pm, 2.00pm-4.30pm)
Provides free and confidential information and legal advice for under 18's or people calling on their behalf. Information covers all aspects of law and policy affecting children and young people.

In Scotland, contact:
Scottish Child Law Centre
54 East Crosscauseway
Edinburgh EH8 9HD
Tel: 0131 667 6333
Freephone service for under-18s: 0800 328 8970
Provide advice and representation and advice on legal issues to children and young persons under eighteen years of age.

Manic depression

Manic Depression Fellowship
21 St George’s Road
London SE1 6ES
Tel: 020 7793 2600 (Mondays to Thursdays 9am-5pm and Fridays 9am-4pm)
E-mail: mdf@mdf.org.uk
Website: www.mdf.org.uk
Provides advice and information for people with manic depression and their families, carers and mental health professionals. Offer a quarterly journal Pendulum, a network of self help groups for people with the condition as well as their relatives and friends, self management training courses, employment advice, travel insurance and members also have access to a legal advice line. MDF will send out an information pack upon request, which will include a publications list.

Medication

UKPPG Medication Helpline
Maudsley Hospital
Denmark Hill
London SE5 8AZ
Helpline: 020 7919 2999 (Mondays to Fridays 11am-5pm)
Website: www.ukppg.co.uk
The UKPPG (UK Psychiatric Pharmacy Group) exists to ensure best treatment with medicines for people with mental-health needs. Offers confidential advice and information on prescription drugs for patients, carers and families. Has leaflets on common psychiatric medicines.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Trauma After-Care Trust (TACT)
Buttfields
The Farthings
Withington GL54 4DF
Information Line: 01242 890306
Helpline: 0800 1696814
Website: www.tacthq.demon.co.uk
Offers information, treatment and training to those suffering from post-traumatic stress, and their families. Both telephone numbers are open from 8am-10pm, with an answerphone out of hours.

Psychologists

If you want to consult a clinical or educational psychologist privately, look in the Directory of Chartered Psychologists, published by the British Psychological Society and available in larger public libraries. You can also search online at: www.bps.org.uk/findpsychologist/psychoindex.cfm.

Running away

Get Connected
The Carphone Warehouse Support Centre
North Acton Business Centre
Wales Farm Road
London W3 6RS
Helpline: 0808 808 4994 (Daily 1pm-11pm)
Website: www.getconnected.org.uk
Helpline for young people on any subject. Specifically for anyone thinking of running away or who has left home. Will refer to other appropriate organisations for free.

National Missing Persons Helpline
Helpline: 0500 700 700 (24 hours, 7 days)
Website: www.missingpersons.org
The National Missing Persons Helpline is a free confidential helpline offering support, advice and practical help to families of missing people. The helpline tries to reunite families by searching for missing people via its network of contacts and sources throughout the UK and beyond. To report someone missing please phone 0500 700 700.

Message Home
Message Home Helpline: 0800 700 740 (24 hours, 7 days)
Website: www.missingpersons.org
Message Home is a confidential Helpline for anyone who has left home or run away to send a message home and/or get confidential help and advice.

Schizophrenia

National Schizophrenia Fellowship (NSF)
30 Tabernacle street
London EC2A 4DD
Tel: 020 8547 3937 (London)
Tel: 028 9040 2323 (Belfast)
Advice line: 020 8974 6814
E-mail: advice@nsf.org.uk
Website: www.nsf.org.uk and www.at-ease.nsf.org.uk (for young people)
Dedicated to improving the lives of anyone affected by severe mental illness, by providing information, advice and advocacy services, raising awareness of mental health issues, and challenging the attitudes that create stigma. Website has in-depth information on schizophrenia, including sections on employment, money, benefits and legal rights.

NSF (Scotland)
Claremont House
130 East Claremont Street
Edinburgh EH7 4LB
Tel: 0131 557 8969
E-mail: info@nsfscot.org.uk
Website: www.nsfscot.org.uk

NSF (Northern Ireland)
Regional Office
Windhurst
Knockbracken Healthcare Park
Saintfield Road
Belfast BT8 8BH
Tel: 02890 402 323
E-mail: info@nireland.nsf.org.uk

Zito Trust
16 Castle Street
Hay-on-Wye
Hereford HR3 5DF
Tel: 01497 820 011 (Mondays to Fridays 9.30am-5pm)
E-mail: zitotrust@btinternet.com
Website: www.zitotrust.co.uk
Offers information, advice and support to families and friends of people with severe mental health problems, particularly those who have received inadequate community care services.

Self-harm

Bristol Crisis Service for Women
PO Box 654
Bristol BS99 1XL
Tel: 0117 925 1119 (Open 9pm-12.30am Friday and Saturday, and 6pm-9pm Sunday.)
E-mail: bcsw@womens-crisis-service@freeserve.co.uk
Website: www.users.zetnet.co.uk/bcsw
Helpline and self-help support groups for women. Specialising in those who self-harm and those who have been sexually abused as children.

National Self-Harm Network
PO Box 16190
London NW1 3WW
Contact them if you are worried because you self-harm or you are close to someone who does. Campaigns for a better understanding of self-harm. Provides a free information pack.

Youth Access
2 Taylors Yard
67 Alderbrook Road
London SW12 8AD
Tel: 020 8772 9900 (Mondays to Fridays 9am-1pm and 2pm-5pm)
Provide details of local advice, counselling and information services for young people aged between 14 and 25, including youth counselling services that help with self-harm.

Young Minds
102–108 Clerkenwell Road
London EC1M 5SA
Tel: 020 7336 8445
Tel: 020 7336 8445 (Just for info and publications)
Parents' Information Service 0800 018 2138 (Mondays and Fridays 10am-1pm,
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 1-4pm)
Website: http://www.youngminds.org.uk
National charity committed to improving the mental health of all children and young people. Services include the Parents' Information Service, a free confidential helpline for any adult with concerns information about the mental health of a child or young person. YoungMinds also offers consultancy, seminars and training, leaflets and booklets for young people and publishes a bi-monthly magazine.


Smoking

Quitline
Helpline 0800 00 2200
Website: www.quit.org.uk
Aims to help smokers to stop smoking by offering confidential help and advice about every stage of quitting - whether you are just thinking about stopping, have quit for just a short time or are an ex-smoker trying to stay stopped. Can also provide callers with details of local stop smoking groups and clinics.

Solvent misuse

RE-SOLV (The Society for the Prevention of Solvent and Volatile Substance Abuse)
Freephone helpline: 0808 800 2345
Website: www.re-solv.org
Aims to contribute to a happier, healthier, safer social environment by preventing death, suffering and crime that may result from solvent and volatile substance abuse. The freephone helpline offers confidential information and support for young people and parents. Website has a range of factsheets and resources.

Suicide

The Samaritans
PO Box 9090
Stirling FK8 2SA
Tel: 08457 90 90 90 (24-hour local-call helpline)
E-mail: jo@samaritans.org
Website: www.samaritans.org
If you feel desperate and need support, you can talk to or e-mail a Samaritan volunteer in confidence at any time of day or night.

PAPYRUS (Prevention of Suicides)
Rossendale GH
Union Road
Rawtenstall BB4 6NE
Tel: 01706 214449 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-1.30pm)
Helpline: 0870 170 4000 (national rate) or 01978 367333 (Mon-Fri 7-10pm; Sat-Sun 2-5pm)
E-mail: admin@papyrus-uk.org
Website: www.papyrus-uk.org
A national charity working in suicide prevention. Involved in raising awareness, research and consultation. Produces resources for health and education. The helpline offers professional help, practical advice and information to the parents, carers, teachers, professionals and friends of young people at risk of suicide.

A–C | D–Z