Being healthy and feeling well

Information about free physical and mental health services, support and groups

NHS APP NHS Go is a confidential health advice and information service for 16-25 year olds. For more information, please see this website.

There are several sexual health agencies that can provide you with confidential support and advice. These include:

CHYPS Plus – The House
For young people aged 11-19 years.
Clifden Centre
Homerton University Hospital
London
E9 6SR

Tel: 0207 683 7176/0208 510 7176

Email: chyps.plus@nhs.net

City of London Family Therapy Clinic
Speak with your social worker if you would like to discuss this service.

Brook
For young people up to the age of 25 years.
For information, please visit the website: https://www.brook.org.uk/

British Pregnancy Advice Service (BPAS)
Open to all ages
For information, please visit the website: https://www.bpas.org/

Tel: 03457 30 40 30

Marie Stopes
Open to all ages; providing advice and support around pregnancy options
For information, please visit the website: www.mariestopes.org.uk

The Young Hackney Substance Misuse Service is open to anyone aged under 25. It’s free and completely confidential. We can give you advice and support if you’re worried about your own substance use, or if you’re worried that a friend or family member has a problem with drugs or alcohol.

You can contact us on:

  • Advice and referral line – 0208 356 7377, Monday to Friday 9am to 9pm
  • Text – 07814 183052
  • Email – yhsms@hackney.gov.uk
  • Online – https://bit.ly/yhsmsonline or DM us on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook at @younghackney

We offer non-judgmental support and treatment for those who feel that their drug and/or alcohol use has become unmanageable.

It is our aim to prevent young people using drugs, delay drug use among young people and offer harm reduction advice and strategies where appropriate by offering facts about drugs and alcohol use – the highs as well as the lows, which means you can make your own choices.

Offer of One-to-One Support and Treatment
We offer non-judgmental support and treatment for those who feel that their drug and/or alcohol use has become unmanageable.

It is our aim to prevent young people using drugs, delay drug use among young people and offer harm reduction advice and strategies where appropriate by offering facts about drugs and alcohol use – the highs as well as the lows, which means you can make your own choices.

“I enjoyed working with YHSMS and their support has helped me rethink my weed use and build up my abilities to stop using any drugs.” – Former YHSMS Client

Dealing Intervention
We can help you to see if the rewards of dealing are really worth it.

We educate young people about their rights as well as help them to understand modern day slavery and prevention from criminal exploitation. We raise awareness around the pitfalls of getting involved with drug deals, as you might be spending a lot of your life behind bars if you decide to pursue a career dealing drugs.

Parental Substance Misuse – Hidden Harm
If your parent, step-parent, grandparent, carer or anyone else important to you has a drink and or drug problem, it can affect you, even if you are not living in the same house, or they are no longer drinking or using drugs. A child of a substance user can be aged 1 or 101 – it doesn’t change the fact that your parent is (or has been) dependent on alcohol or drugs, along with the problems this brings.

Alcoholism is an illness and can affect people of all ages and from all walks of life. People with an alcohol problem have lost control over their drinking and usually need help to stop. There is help, but as hard as it is for those around them, only the person drinking can make the decision to accept help. However, there is support for YOU if you are affected by someone else who may be misusing alcohol and/or drugs.

The Orbit
The Orbit is a therapeutic stay and play/crèche with group and key worker engagement with multiple services available to access on site. It is open to pregnant women and parents of preschool aged children who have difficulties with substances.

It’s a resource that enables early intervention and access to services that are often inaccessible.

18 – 25 year olds, Community & Night Time Economy
Although YHSMS primarily works with those under 18, we also work and engage with young adults who are between 18 – 25 yrs of age and offer guidance and support when trying to work out whether a young people’s service or an adult service might be the best fit for your needs.

For more information, please visit: Young Hackney Substance Misuse Service - Young Hackney

City or Hackney residents who are struggling with addiction and would like to cut down on alcohol, drugs and other substances, can access free and non-judgemental support, with a focus on wellbeing and recovery, via the City and Hackney Recovery Service.

This support service is delivered by charity Turning Point in partnership with organisations Mind and Antidote. As well as the hub in Mare Street (E8 3SG), adult residents across all neighbourhoods in the City and Hackney, and carers affected by substance misuse, can access integrated support and interventions.

Referrals can be made using the following pathways:

Once a referral is made, an initial consultation where a brief assessment and ascertainment of treatment goals will take place. The individual referred will then be allocated a Recovery worker who will provide support throughout treatment.

Turning Point, the lead provider for the service, is a national charity providing specialist services which focus on improving lives and communities. Turning Point have been helping people make a change in their lives for over 50 years, constantly finding ways to support more people to discover new possibilities in their lives. They work closely with the people we support, their families, carers and circle of support.

In addition, needle exchange, Naloxone and supervised consumption services are available at the following pharmacies in the City:

  • Boots, 80 Cannon Street, EC4N 6HL (020 7623 4676)
  • Boots, 138-140 Fenchurch Street, EC3M 6BL (020 7626 0670)
  • Boots, 120 Fleet Street, EC4A 2BE (020 7583 9446)

Honest information about drugs | FRANK (talktofrank.com)

Smokefree City & Hackney (smokefreecityandhackney.org)

Whilst your physical health is very important, your emotional health and wellbeing is just as important. There are times when we all need a little extra support to cope. There are a number of services which you can access.

Our clinic specialises with working children, young people and their families/carers when they are experiencing difficulties in school or at home. We work with a wide range of issues experienced by children and young people in a variety of relationships.

As Family therapists, we work with children, young people and those important to them, supporting them to find ways to listen to each other so they can find a solution to difficulties. We do not look for blame, but work on the strengths you have whilst understanding the difficulties you may feel.

Family therapy can be helpful in many circumstances and has been known to work well for many difficulties including depression, substance misuse, adjusting to physical illness, relationship distress, and recovery from previous domestic violence. We are a multicultural team and the clinic will provide a translator, if needed.

Kooth is a free, anonymous, online counselling and emotional wellbeing service. Kooth has no referrals or thresholds, and you can register independently at www.kooth.com 

Samaritans is a free confidential and emotional support helpline for anyone in a crisis. Call 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org 

The Mix provides support on a range of topics for young people aged 11 – 25 years, find out more at Get Support - The Mix 

Young Minds is a charity which supports young people’s mental health visit them at https://www.youngminds.org.uk/

Being treated differently or unfairly because of our race, skin colour or ethnicity can negatively affect our mental health. Here's some information on how to get help if you've experienced racism.

Racism and mental health | How To Deal With Racism | YoungMinds

PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide is the UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.

Suicide is the biggest killer of people aged 35 and under in the UK. We believe that many suicides are preventable.

Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org

Call: 0800 068 41 41 (9am – midnight every day)

Text: 07860 039967

Home - BigDeal is a place for young people to get information, advice and guidance about gambling.

Big Deal know all about gambling, how someone else’s gambling can affect you, and about the difficulties young people can get into if their gambling gets out of hand. That’s why you can share your worries via our live chat or helpline,  fear of judgement.

The National Problem Gambling Clinic (opens in new tab) is a specialist NHS clinic for problem gamblers.The clinic accepts referrals for people aged 13 or over, with complex problems relating to gambling, living in England or Wales.

Email: gambling.cnwl@nhs.net

Phone: 020 7381 7722

GamCare (opens in new tab) offers information, support and counselling. It runs free services including the National Gambling helpline, live chat and support forums.

Live chat: Chat with a GamCare advisor (opens in new tab). Is free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 Free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

At Renaissance Foundation (RF) we offer fun activities and support for young carers and patients across London. Members of RF get to join us on exciting visits across London and beyond, listen to talks from inspirational speakers and have access to mentoring and other 1:1 support. We have regular drop in sessions at our youth hub in the City where we have a PS5, Xbox, a mini music studio and pizza! You can even use our youth hub as a quiet space to do homework or to chill out after school.

 

You can join RF if you are aged between 12-16 and help to look after someone at home or have a sibling with a health condition and/or you might have a health condition yourself such as asthma, sickle cell, epilepsy, Type 1 Diabetes, or another type of chronic health condition.

 

For more information or to refer yourself to RF you can visit our website here: https://www.renaissance-foundation.com/