Where to go for support

Call: If you are a child or young person, parent or carer in crisis, you can call the Alder Hey CAMHS crisis care line 24 hours a day, seven days a week on freephone 0808 196 3550, Email CrisisCare@alderhey.nhs.uk.

Face-to-face: YPAS’s Alternative to Crisis Drop-In provides a safe space for children and young people to come to. Our trained professional staff will listen and support you through difficult times. Available across three community hubs.

Text: the word GREEN to 85258 for a free, confidential, 24/7 text message support service for anyone who is feeling overwhelmed or struggling to cope.

The service is staffed by trained volunteers who will work with you to take your next steps towards feeling better. We can help with issues such as stress, anxiety and depression and are here to talk at any time of day or night.

Online: Kooth

Visit the young person’s ‘about anxiety’ page

You can also find information on the Young Minds website, and tips for parents and carers can be found on the Place2Be website.

Signs your child might be experiencing anxiety

Thoughts and feelings

Constantly feeling on edge. Expressing a feeling of dread or a fear of dying. Verbally stating they are worried or do not want to do something. Uncontrollable overthinking. Wanting to escape a situation.

Behaviours

Avoidance, list-making, checking things over and over again, withdrawal, scratching/biting nails, blotchy rash, fidgeting/pacing, angry outbursts, emotionally fuelled behaviour, seeking reassurance, needing to be with certain people, frequent use of the toilet, rituals, panic attacks. Hypervigilant. Clingy to parents/caregivers. Find it difficult to do things when others are watching. Difficulty concentrating.

Physical symptoms

Problems with sleep, lack of appetite, sweating, dry mouth, heart palpitations, hot flushes, heavy and fast breathing, shaking, hair loss, dizziness, fainting, stomach ache and sickness.

Ways you can support your child/young person experiencing anxiety

Things young people say help with their anxiety are:

Writing their thoughts down on paper or in a “worry diary”.
Listening to their favourite music (this is also a good resilience factor)
Getting a hug from someone they trust, offering calm physical reassurance.
“A scrap box’’ – put all of their thoughts and feelings on post-it notes and rip them all up and bin them at the end of the week/month.
Distraction – reading a book, going for a walk, colouring in.
Reading positive quotes online
Reassure them that the anxiety will pass and that they will be okay.
Positive self-talk and saying nice things to themselves in front of the mirror
Physical sensations such as smells of lavender or a comfort teddy.
Being creative and doodling
Having a quiet, safe space
Spending time with people and socialising
Ask them to think of a safe and relaxing place or person in their mind.
Breathe exercises that can be done together. You can count slowly to five as you breathe in and then five as you breathe out. If this is too much, try starting with shorter counts.
If it works for them, gradually encourage your child to breathe out for one or two counts longer than they breathe in, as this can help their body relax.

Try using all five senses together. Connecting with what they can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste can bring them closer to the present moment and reduce the intensity of their anxiety. You might think together about five things they can see, four things they can touch, three things they can hear, two things they can smell and one thing they can taste.