Mental health and wellbeing

Everyone has mental health - it reflects how we feel, think and behave. Our mental health is just as important to take care of as our physical health, but it can be more difficult to talk about and to see. Most children, young people and adults will find that sometimes their mental health is better than other times. This is a normal part of life.

Wellbeing can be described as how good we feel about ourselves, our lives and our ability to deal with our emotions in a healthy way. Everyone experiences a range of different emotions, some are positive to experience and others are more difficult to feel. Difficult emotions, such as sadness, anger and worry can affect our wellbeing in unhelpful ways.  

The more we do to take care of our mental health and wellbeing, the more able we are to manage when things happen in our lives that make us feel difficult emotions.

These websites provide information about mental health and wellbeing:

Speak to someone about your mental health

If you would like to talk about your mental health, tell an adult you trust at home, school, or at a club or activity you attend. The following organisations can also help:

Kooth

Kooth is a free, safe and anonymous online service for young people’s mental health and wellbeing. On Kooth, you can access a magazine, discussion boards and your own private daily journal. You can also chat to counsellors one-to-one anonymously. To join the Kooth community visit the Kooth website.

Young Minds

To speak to someone urgently via YoungMinds Crisis Messenger, text YM to 85258.

Childline

Call: 0800 1111, or talk to a counsellor online on the Childline website. 

Social worker contact information

If you would like to speak to a social worker in your area, you can contact them via e-mail or over the phone:

Kensington and Chelsea: [email protected] or 020 7361 3013
Westminster: [email protected] or 020 7641 4000

In an emergency, call 999.