Your care: support and advice Getting support
Are they ok?
This page is for individuals who have concerns about a teenager or young-person that they know. It aims to provide information and some guidance on what to do and who to contact for help. This advice is provided by our Early Intervention Service (Buckinghamshire).
What to do
There are many services for available for young people however identifying the correct one is often difficult.
Evidence indicates that the earlier one seeks help, the less distressing the situation is for all involved.
This site is aimed at those experiences that are likely to lead to involvement with the NHS and may require a referral from your GP.
Below is a link to the am-i-ok website for young people who may be concerned about their health. If after reading it you have concerns please contact your GP or NHS choices for help in your area.
Common questions
What should I do?
What if my GP thinks there is nothing wrong?
What if the GP says they cannot talk to me about the patient due to confidentiality?
What service might we be referred to?
What if my son/daughter thinks there is nothing wrong with them?
What if my son/daughter requires help from more than one service?
What if mental health services think nothing is wrong?
Will my son/daughter need to take medication?
I think my son/daughter is a danger to themselves or others. What should I do?
Will my son/daughter end up in hospital?
Will my son/daughter recover?
Useful resources
Please find below a list of other resources that you may find useful. We have tried to categorise them however some services cover more than one area and this list is by no means exhaustive but to be used as a sign-posting service only.
If there are any services that we have left out please feel free to mention this in the feedback section and we would be happy to look into including them.
Drug and Alcohol Use
- OASIS Partnership Drug and alcohol service in Buckinghamshire
- SMART CJS Drug and criminal justice service located in Buckinghamshire
- Addaction National drug and alcohol treatment charity
- Talk to Frank National drug information service
Family Carer Services
- Carers Bucks Support and wellbeing service for family carers in Buckinghamshire
- Family Information Services Registered charity that supports, links and promotes Family Information Services (FIS) in Great Britain
- Bucks Floating Support Service
- Carers Direct NHS carers service for physical and mental health services
- Carers UK National carers welfare service campaiging for carers’ rights
Health/Mental Health Services
- Bucks Mind
- People’s Voice Voluntary organisation working in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes that enables people with disabilities and mental health service users to make their own choices and speak for themselves
- Sane National service that aims to raise awareness and combat stigma about mental illness, provides care and support for people with mental health problems, their families and carers
- Rethink National mental health charity that runs a National Information and Advice Service and produces a lot of information about different aspects of psychosis. Rethink also runs carers’ groups and you can find where the nearest one to you is by visiting their website
- Depression Alliance
- Manic Depressive Fellowship
- Health Talk
- Get Help Early
- Bucks Early Intervention Service
- Mental Health Care
Self Harm
Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Bisexual Wellbeing
Young Person Specific Services
How to find your GP
If you need to register with a GP practise or find the address of a GP practise that you are already registered with please visit the NHS Choices website.
Need to talk now?
It is difficult to know exactly what to do when someone that we care about is distressed but there are some links to useful sites below which we hope will help.
However, if you have serious concerns about the welfare of someone that you know and believe that there is an immediate danger either to them or someone else, we strongly advise that you contact emergency services immediately.
- Advice on helping a suicidal friend or loved one
- Finding NHS services in your area
- Talk to the Samaritans
Last updated: 13 December, 2017