Keep on top of your mental health during the national lockdown

With the country under a national lockdown once again, lots of young people are facing time away from their friends and the school environment.

It’s vital that children and young people look after their mental health and get the right support if they’re not feeling themselves.

Kooth.com is a free, safe and confidential way for young people to receive counselling, support and advice online, will still be accessible over the break from school.

Kooth is commissioned by North East Lincolnshire Council to provide support for young people aged 11- 25, who live in the area.

The site is accessible from any device that can access the Internet, allowing young people to seek help and support at a time and location that is suitable for them.

In addition to the counselling, Kooth provides a fantastic, safe place for peer-to-peer support through forums where all contributions are moderated before being posted.

Young people can also access the Magazine and Articles section where they can read approved content from individuals in similar situations to their own or even write their own articles.

Councillor Ian Lindley, portfolio holder for children, education and young people at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “I know that a lot of local children and young people will be facing some difficult challenges over the next few weeks.

“They can no longer go to school and see their friends, they’re spending lots of time at home and they’re not able to take advantage of the traditional support mechanisms in place at school and things like after school clubs.

“It’s important that parents and carers speak to their children about the importance of talking to someone if they’re not feeling great. It’s vital that they have the proper support in place. Kooth is a great source of support for young people, and it’s available at the click of a button. “

Kooth is accessible 24/7 365 days of the year and provides access to quality counselling from BACP or UKCP accredited counselling professionals via a text based format from 12noon to 10pm on weekdays, and 6pm-10pm on weekends, providing a much needed ‘out of hours’ service.

Kooth is not a replacement for any in person support for a young person; rather it is an additional means of accessing further support.

Visit Kooth.com to find out more.