Children’s Mental Health Week 2021

As part of Children’s Mental Health Week (1 – 7 February), the Government of Jersey is reminding children and young people of the ways they can access support with their mental health.

Children’s Mental Health Week was founded in 2015 by UK charity Place2Be to raise awareness of the importance of mental health for children and young people. This year’s theme is ‘express yourself’ and encourages young people to share their feelings, thoughts, and ideas through creativity. 

Minister for Children and Young People, Deputy Jeremy Maçon, said: “In the last year, children and young people have faced lots of challenges to their mental health. Being isolated from friends and family; facing uncertainty about the future; anxiety around the health of their loved ones: all of these things will take their toll.

“Our children and young people have shown great resilience in the last 10 months. But they do not have to do it alone because we have a range of different services that can support them, however they’re feeling.”

Children and young people in Jersey can access support in a range of ways:

As well as school-based counsellors, staff from the Social, Emotional and Mental Health Inclusion Team (SEMHI) work with primary and secondary schools to provide support to individual students, including helping students learn how manage their emotions, and develop their emotional literacy.

The YES project provides free counselling and information to young people aged 14-25. YES can offer advice on bereavement, drugs and alcohol and relationships, as well as a range of other issues. Appointments are available 12pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday.

The Children and Families Hub provides support and information for young people and their families on a range of issues. As well as providing information online, they can provide information and advice via phone on (01534) 519000, or by emailing childrenandfamilieshub@gov.je. 

The Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) is a referral-based mental health assessment and therapeutic service for children and young people up to age of 18. They can support young people with mental heath issues (including depression, anxiety, panic attacks, self-harm, or suicidal thoughts), as well as young people who experience neurodevelopmental difficulties like ADHD and autism. They can be contacted between Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm on (01534) 445030.

Young people aged 13-25 can also access free, safe, anonymous mental health support, and wellbeing advice through Kooth. Kooth is a mobile based-service, which is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. It also provides drop-in or bookable sessions with professional counsellors.