Links

On this page you will find links to a variety of organisations who help and offer services to children and young people. Below the organisations are a list of links to some useful information guides and factsheets. Finally, at the foot of the page, you will find links to a couple of foreign websites. These sites are useful as they provide accounts from young people of what it's like to live with a serious mental illness.

Organisations/public bodies

Meic is a new helpline service for children and young people up to the age of 25 in Wales. From finding out what's going on in your local area to help dealing with a tricky situation, Meic's aim is to listen, give you quality information, useful advice and the support you need to make a change: www.meiccymru.org/

Young Minds is the national charity committed to improving the mental health of all children and young people: www.youngminds.org.uk

Children's Commissioner for Wales, information on children and their rights and the responsibility and authority of the Commissioner's Office: www.childcom.org.uk

Children in Wales is the national umbrella children's organisation in Wales, bringing organisations and individuals together to: make the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child a reality in Wales; fight for sustainable quality services and fair shares for all children and young people; ensure special attention and treatment for children in need; give children and young people a voice. www.childreninwales.org.uk

Barnardo's Cymru provides 43 services across the country working with vulnerable children, young people, families and communities, helping them to build a better future. www.barnardos.org.uk

Tros Gynnal works with children and young people to promote and realise their rights: www.trosgynnal.org.uk

Children and Young People Now, a site for people working with children and young people: www.cypnow.co.uk

The remit of the National Assembly for Wales' Children and Young People Committee is to consider issues affecting children in Wales: www.assemblywales.org

Funky Dragon - the Children and Young People's Assembly for Wales - is a peer-led organisation. Their aim is to give 0 – 25 year olds the opportunity to get their voices heard on issues that affect them. Funky Dragon's main tasks are to make sure that the views of children and young people are heard, particularly by the Welsh Assembly Government, and to support participation in decision-making at national level: www.funkydragon.org

Information, guides and factsheets

Mental health provision for 16 and 17 year olds in Wales - Summary of key issues and research findings highlighting the unmet need and gaps in provision for 16 and 17 year old young people in Wales with mental health problems.' This is a very useful report from Barnardo's which looks at the issue very thoroughly and on a number of levels: www.barnardos.org.uk

NICE clinical guideline on depression in children and young people for healthcare professionals, patients, carers and the public: www.nice.org.uk

Aimed at nurses, this Royal College of Nursing guide looks at children and young people's mental health: www.rcn.org.uk

The children and young people page from the Royal College of Psychiatrists offers loads of information and advice on mental health to young people and their carers: www.rcpsych.ac.uk

Information and advice for young people and their carers about mental health from the Mental Health Foundation: www.mentalhealth.org.uk

A factsheet from Rethink about mental illness in childhood: www.mentalhealthshop.org

Feeling Good – Promoting Children's Health - Activity sheets from the Sainsbury Centre to help parents and their children talk about feelings and emotions: www.scmh.org.uk

National Electronic Library for Health: a range of factsheets about mental disorders in young people: www.nelmh.org

NHS HandsOnScotland is an online resource for anybody working with children and young people. The website provides practical information and techniques on how to respond helpfully to children and young people's troubling behaviour, build up their self-esteem and promote their positive mental wellbeing: www.handsonscotland.co.uk

Some useful sites from abroad

A link to Australia's National Youth Mental Health Foundation: www.headspace.org.au

Reach Out is a web-based service that inspires young people to help themselves through tough times, and find ways to improve their own mental health and well-being: us.reachout.com