The crisis in children and young people’s mental health is real and it is urgent. More children, young people and adults than ever before are reaching out for help with their emotional and mental health.
There are now more organisations available locally and nationally for children, young people and adults offering support, advice, information and guidance.
We all need a bit of help sometimes. But it can be difficult to know how, or who, to ask. We look at some ways you can ask for the help you need.
Get mental health support right now
If you need to talk to someone now, you can contact your local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Crisis and Intensive Home Treatment (IHT) service on the numbers below. The service is available seven days a week and available for people to call when they are experiencing a mental health crisis or are worried about someone else who may be in crisis.
Mental health crisis contacts
- Craven: First Response 0800 952 1181, open 24 hours a day
- Hambleton and Richmondshire: 0300 0132000 (Option 6), open 24 hours a day
- Harrogate and Ripon: 01423 544335, 10am–10pm
- Selby and Easingwold: 01904 615348, 10am –10pm
- Scarborough and Ryedale: 0300 0132000, 10am–10pm
- Whitby: 01723 346502, open 24 hours a day
In a mental health emergency, you can contact your local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services crisis and liaison team free on 0800 0516 171 - Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust, open hours 24 hours a day.
In North Yorkshire we have strong partnership arrangements which work to deliver the best possible outcomes for children, young people and families.
Agencies need to work together to ensure all children and young people enjoy good mental health and emotional wellbeing, including those who are most vulnerable in society, such as children looked after by us and those with SEND needs.
You can find information, advice and signposting about children and young people's mental health in North Yorkshire on The Go-To website. People living in Craven can visit Healthy Minds – Mental health support in Bradford and Craven.
Children and young people who experience behaviour, emotional or social difficulties at school or related to schooling can access different types of support, such as our educational psychology service, or our educational social workers. You can find out more about these types of support here on our behaviour, emotional and social difficulties page.
The Go-To website Mini Marketplace supports parents and carers in finding the most appropriate mental health support based on a child/young person’s needs.
If your child is being bullied, you can find information and help on our page about school bullying.
Our children and families section gives more information including about children's centres which provide support and activities from birth until age 19.
You can also talk to your GP if you have a concern. There are also various other sources of help and support you can access either through school referral, or directly.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS)
What CAMHS does
CAMHS provides a service for children, young people, their families and carers. It gives support when a child or young person has significant emotional and psychological concerns. CAMHS provides ongoing support groups and parenting programmes. The Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS services includes the Craven area.
Who CAMHS helps
CAMHS supports children and young people from pre-school years up to 16 years of age, or up to 18 years of age if still in school.
Access support from CAMHS
If you want to talk to somebody at CAMHS, you, your parent or the person who looks after you will need to speak to someone like your doctor or your school nurse. They will then tell you what you need to do and what happens next.
CAMHS accept referrals from health professionals including:
- GPs
- hospital doctors, if an urgent assessment is needed
- school nurses
- health visitors
You can visit us in Bradford and Keighley:
- Fieldhead House, 2-8 St Martins Avenue, Fieldhead Business Centre, Bradford, BD7 1LG
01274 723241
- Hillbrook, Mayfield Road, Keighley BD20 6LD
01535 661531
We can also arrange to visit you at school or at your local health centre.
We aim to meet your communication, access and information needs. Please tell the team about your accessibility or information requirements. We aim to meet the NHS Accessible Information Standard.
BDCFT Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS)
What does it do?
CAMHS provides a service for children, young people, their families and carers if a child or young person has significant emotional and psychological concerns. Bradford CAMHS does cover the Craven area.
Who is it for?
CAMHS supports children and young people from pre-school years up to 16 years of age, (or up to 18 years of age if still in school) where there are severe and long standing concerns about emotional well-being and behaviours. CAMHS Provides ongoing support groups and parenting programmes
How do I access it?
Referrals to CAMHS are accepted from a variety of health professionals including GPs and hospital doctors (if urgent assessment is required) as well as from school nurses and health visitors.
If you think it would help to talk to somebody at CAMHS, you (or your parent or the person who looks after you) will need to speak to someone like your doctor or your school nurse. They will then tell you what you need to do and what happens next.
Where can I see someone from CAMHS?
We have two main sites:
- Fieldhead in Bradford
Fieldhead House, 2-8 St Martins Avenue, Fieldhead Business Centre, Bradford, BD7 1LG
01274 723241
Bradford District Care Trust website
- Hillbrook in Keighley
Hillbrook Mayfield Road, Keighley BD20 6LD
01535 661531
Even though our friendly staff are based here, if you need to come to CAMHS you do not always have to come to these two places. If you would prefer, we can try and arrange to come to you, either at school or at your local health centre for example.
Wherever possible we will aim to meet your communication, access and information needs as per the accessible information standard. Please inform the team of your accessibility and/or accessibility to information requirements.
CAMHS Neurodevelopmental team information can be found on the Bradford District Care Trust website.
Help and support contacts
There are a range of national and locally funded support services for children and young people in North Yorkshire, including:
Find advice on SEND and Mental Health for parents and carers from the NHS Go-To website.
The Childline website: Free, confidential, anonymous 24/7 service for anyone under 19 in the UK with any issue including emotional and mental health
YoungMinds Textline: Free, 24/7 text support for young people across the UK experiencing a mental health crisis, with texts answered by trained volunteers supported by experienced clinical supervisors
BUZZ US Text messaging service: Confidential advice, support and signposting from a wellbeing worker within one working day via text for young people aged 11-18 across North Yorkshire and York
NHS North Yorkshire Intergrated Care Board website: Here there is further information – including health professionals' referral forms.
Kooth online mental health wellbeing website (Craven only): A service to deliver online chat/text-based counselling, discussion forums and online self-care resources for children and young people.
Guide-Line telephone helpline from Mind in Bradford
The Recovery College - free online resources and courses, including 'Understanding Mental Health and Wellbeing for parents and carers.