Wilson's School

Pupil Support

If you need help and support

Just as with physical health, we all have mental health that we need to take care of and be aware of. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. For teenagers, the natural changes happening in your brain can have a huge effect on your mental health. Here are some things you can do to help keep you mentally healthy:

  • Talk about your feelings – friendships are very important for this.
  • Spend time with friends and family.
  • Take regular exercise.
  • Get enough sleep (the NHS Go app gives good advice on sleep).
  • Eat well.
  • Ensure you make time to do activities you enjoy.
  • Take rests from work – this is especially important during times of revision.

If you want to talk about your mental health, remember that there is nothing to be ashamed of and even the act of talking about how you are feeling can often help. There are many places you can go to in school to get help – you can talk to any adult you trust. Furthermore, pastoral leaders on our Wellbeing Team are trained to listen to those who feel they need help with stress or anxiety, and can also provide further information that you might find useful.

If something is troubling you or you need advice, you should always feel that you can speak to one of your teachers. If you are finding this difficult, or you need help outside of school time, there are some avenues of support listed below.

We recognise that it is always possible that a student may be a victim of (or witness to) sexual violence, sexual harassment or other forms of other harmful sexual behaviour. In such situations it is very important that appropriate help and support can be arranged straight away. However we also know that it can be very difficult to speak about these topics, and that students may feel nervous about what might happen next when they speak to an adult. The leaflet linked here is designed to explain exactly what would happen next and reassure anyone who may be fearful of seeking help.

Useful Links

Childline: ChildLine is the free, 24 hour helpline for young people in the UK. Call 0800 1111 about any problem (this number does not show up on telephone bills). It is completely confidential.

Samaritans: If something’s troubling you, then get in touch. We’re here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We help you talk things through and we keep everything confidential. Call 116 123 or go to www.samaritans.org.

Beat: is the UK’s leading charity supporting anyone affected by eating disorders or any other difficulties with food, weight and shape. Call 0808 801 0711 or go to www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk.

CEOP (Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre): Use this to report anyone who has spoken to you inappropriately online. It may be sexual chat, being asked to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or someone being insistent on meeting up. Go to https://ceop.police.uk.

Drinkline: If you have any concerns about alcohol (your own drinking or a family member or friend), call freephone 0300 123 1110, 9am-8pm Mon to Fri or 11am-4pm Sat & Sun.

Alcohol Concern: This organisation has lots of information and advice on drinking and alcohol related problems on its website.

National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA): This organisation has a free helpline for children of alcoholics, which provides listening, advice and links with other services. It also offers help to children who are concerned about their parent’s use of drugs and provides advice and information to professionals. Call 0800 358 3456 9.30am – 7pm, Mon – Fri or go to www.nacoa.org.uk.

GamCare: provides support and information to anyone suffering through a gambling problem. Call freephone 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamcare.org.uk.

Child Bereavement Trust: If you or someone you know has suffered the loss of a loved one, you can contact the Child Bereavement Trust for support and advice. Call 01494 446648 or go to www.childbereavementuk.org.

Hope Again: is a website designed for young people by young people to provide support after the death of someone close. Call freephone 0808 808 1677, 9.30am-5pm Mon-Fri or go to www.hopeagain.org.uk.

Runaway Helpline: is here if you are thinking about running away, if you have already run away, or if you have been away and come back. You can also contact the Runaway Helpline if you are worried that someone else is going to run away or if they are being treated badly or abused. The number to call is 116 000 (free to call 24 hours a day) or go to www.runawayhelpline.org.uk.

Bullying Online: This site provides email advice about bullying, and tries to respond to all emails within 24 hours. Visit the Bullying Online website www.bullying.co.uk.

Off the Record: is a local drop-pin service for young people to talk to someone about anything that is concerning them, including a free online counselling service. Call 020 8251 0251 or go to www.talkofftherecord.org.

Saneline: provides support to those experiencing mental health problems such as stress, anxiety or depression. Call 0300 304 7000, 4.30pm-10.30pm daily or go to www.sane.org.uk.

YoungMinds: is the children’s mental health charity. Its website has lots of help and advice about how to deal with depression, anxiety and different kinds of feelings and emotions. Go to www.youngminds.org.uk.