This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council's Service Lead for Early Years and Prevention, Michael Jarrett, for the attention of Anybody Working with Children and Young People.
Kooth.com has been recommissioned by NHS East Berkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Local Partners and supported by the Young Health Champions. Kooth is a free online counselling and emotional wellbeing platform for children and young people (CYP) aged 11-19 (11– 25 for children with Special Educational Needs and care leavers). The confidential service provides a safe way for CYP to access advice, support and counselling.
Kooth is available as normal during these unsettling times and can be accessed via a mobile, tablet or desktop. Young people can drop in or pre-book to speak with qualified counsellors who are available from 12 noon to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm to 10pm at weekends, every day of the year. Outside counselling hours’, a messaging function is available.
Kooth also provides an opportunity to interact in a supportive way with other young people within static and live topic-focused forums and discussion boards. Its online magazine includes current articles such as tips for isolation, home study, self-care, things to do, family, relationships and much more. All content is age appropriate, clinically approved and fully moderated.
We are committed to ensuring we put services in place that identify and manage the emotional and mental health needs of children and young people across East Berkshire.
At a time like this is it more relevant than ever for children and young people to be able to access support for their mental wellbeing, and Kooth will continue to deliver their online services as normal with the site being available 24/7.
- Janette Fullwood, Frimley Collaborative, Head of Children, Young People and Families
To find out more visit kooth.com where young people can register.