Health support for specific needs

Mental health and wellbeing

Supporting children and young people who have difficulties with their mental health or wellbeing is vital for quality of life, confidence and overall health and happiness. 

This section explores a range of supportive health services available locally to support children, young people and their families, including: 
 

Be You

Primary Mental Health Work

School nurse

Special school nurse

Children & Young People’s Services (CYPS)

• Be You
  ‘Be You’ is a schools-focused programme designed to improve and support the mental health and wellbeing of young people. It aims to enable individuals to build emotional resilience and to identify issues early.
  
  The Be You mental health support team consists of a variety of mental health workers, mentors and educators who support the programme in schools. The programme works alongside any other emotional health and wellbeing services currently available to schools and young people. 
  
  The programme is currently delivered in the areas of Blyth and Hexham, but hopes to expand further across the county.
  
  Find out more and get in touch with the Be You team here. 
   

• Primary Mental Health Work
  Northumbria Healthcare’s Primary Mental Health Work (PMHW) service is an early intervention and prevention service that provides advice and support for children and young people (up to the age of 18), and their families and carers. In Northumberland, the PMHW service is also involved in improving mental health support in schools as part of the ‘Be You’ programme.
  
  Young people access the service when an issue has not been resolved following initial help at home or at school. 
  
  The service supports children and young people who are experiencing a range of emotional wellbeing and mental health problems, including:

  • Anxiety including panic, social anxiety and phobias

  • Habitual behaviours of an obsessive-compulsive nature

  • Low mood and depression

  • Managing emotions and anger

  • Poor body image

  • Self-harm

  • Difficulty in adjusting to traumatic life events including parental separation, bereavement and bullying

  • Behavioural issues

These issues can have a significant impact on the day-to-day life or a child or young person. You may meet a Primary Mental Health Worker (PMHW’s) – their role is to undertake interventions with children and young people, for moderate mental health needs and to support other professionals with advice and training. 

Following a referral (you can be referred from a GP, social worker, member of school staff and public health nurse in school, or, in Northumberland, you can also self-refer to PMHW service) and an initial assessment to understand the nature of your difficulties, the team will identify the best support for you and you may be eligible for a range of treatments. 

Click here to view a short video which explains Northumbria’s PMHW service in more detail. 

You can contact the team at Ponteland Primary Care Centre on 01661 864 588 or by email on PMHW@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk

• School nurse
  School nurses are also known as public health school nurses. They promote and protect the physical health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people who are of school age. 
  
  In Northumberland, there is a service called ‘Chat Health’, through which you can text your school nurse for confidential advice and support. The service covers numerous issues, including, bullying, healthy eating, mental health, self-harm, relationships, alcohol, drugs and smoking. If you live in Northumberland and want to access Chat Health, text 07507 332 258. 
  
  Click here to find out more about the school nursing service and relevant contact details across Northumberland. 
   

• Special school nursing 
  Special school nurses are health professionals with additional training to provide specialist nursing and public health advice in specific schools that deliver education to children with disabilities and/or complex physical or emotional health needs. 

The special school nursing service can provide support, advice and further information for children and young people with emotional health needs, as well as supporting parents and carers, and the schools themselves. Support services include:

• Health assessments and care plans

• Training for school staff on specific health conditions and medications in school

• Support with weight concerns

• Healthy relationships

• Promotion of healthy lifestyles with groups and individuals

Nurses can discuss issues over the phone or in person at school or at home. Appointments are available during school hours in term-time, as well as some after school appointments may also be available. 

• Children’s community nursing
  Northumbria Healthcare’s children’s community nursing service understands that some children have more complex medical needs and require additional support. 
  
  The children’s community nursing service is a specialist team of children’s nurses and child health carers. They are experienced in working with children and young people aged from birth to 18 years, who live in Northumberland (and North Tyneside).
   

The service offered is flexible in as much as a child or young person can be involved at different times rather than constantly in contact. For example, support could be accessed following a hospital admission, while a child is ill or when a specific course of treatment is needed. The care offered can range from a few days to several months, depending on the nature of the child’s illness or needs, or until the young person reaches adulthood (and is then supported by adult services).

Find out more about how to access the children’s community nursing service and to explore the support available, click here.