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Children and Young People’s Emotional Wellbeing Support in Suffolk

Families can refer children and young people to the following places if they are worried about a child's mental health.

Emotional Wellbeing Hub - East and West Suffolk

The Emotional Wellbeing Hub provides access to NHS Mental Health Support Services.

Parents and carers can make a referral to the Emotional Wellbeing Hub if they are concerned about the mental health of a child or young person aged 0-25 years, or if you're a young person experiencing emotional wellbeing difficulties.

Call our helpline on 0345 600 2090 and press option 2 to make a referral to access specialist mental health services. Our opening hours are currently Monday to Friday, 8am to 3.30pm.
Please note due to staffing shortages we have currently reduced our opening hours. We apologise for any inconvenience, and hope to resume normal working hours (Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm) as soon as possible.

Please note if you need urgent mental health support you should call the 24/7 NHS Mental Health Crisis Support line on 111 and press option 2.

How to make an online referral?

To make an online referral to the Emotional Wellbeing Hub see details below:

If you are a young person or parent/carer use these referral forms:

Young person self-referral form (0-24 year olds)  

Parent/Carer referral form (0-24 year olds)

If you are a professional who works with a child/young person use the below forms:

Professionals referral form (CAMHS – 0-18 year olds) (See the below January 2024 update on referral criteria)

Professionals referral form (YAMHS 18-24 year olds) 

Please read our confidentiality policies: Suffolk County Council’s Privacy Notice and Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust Privacy Notice

Referral form and guidance update for GPs and professionals:

Following feedback from GPs and other system partners, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) has launched a new 0-18 year olds referral criteria document and referral form for its Suffolk Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

The new referral criteria aims to help GP and professional referrers understand who to refer, when, what for and how. It also explains more about the services the CAMHS teams provide, which include:  

  • Specialist CAMHS (formerly known as Child and Family) – for those with moderate to severe mental health difficulties such as mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and complex emotional needs.   

The new 0-18 referral form for GPs is available on the DXS system. Please submit completed forms via ERS.

What GPs and professionals need to consider before making a referral:
GPs and professionals should consider other services that may be more appropriate for young people to access before making a referral (like Kooth, the School Nursing ChatHealth Service or Health Visiting team (Under 5s)) This could include advice and guidance from the voluntary sector, safeguarding from Suffolk County Council or emergency support from the NHS 111 option 2 Crisis Support Line. 

We recognise that it may be difficult to build sufficient rapport with the young person to gain a clinical view of the severity of their needs, including the potential risk of harm to themselves and/or others. In such cases, we advise referrers to gather information from families/carers and those that know the young person well. This is particularly important for assessing the immediacy of response that is required.

It is the responsibility of the referrer to be aware of the risk of harm and safeguarding issues and to notify the appropriate agency. If the young person is struggling with difficulties which present an immediate and/or ongoing risk to themselves and/or others, it is the referrer’s responsibility to refer them to the appropriate emergency service. 

In the period between referral to our service and contact being made with the young person or their family/carer, referrers need to provide continued oversight of the child/young person’s care. This includes creating a safety plan with the young person and their family/carer which will be active during the referral process.

The young person, and parent and carer self-referral forms remain unchanged.  

Give your feedback:
Over the next three months, we will be asking GPs and professionals for feedback via Microsoft Forms on the new CAMHS criteria and referral form so that they can be further refined and improved to make sure they work for everyone. To provide immediate feedback via forms, please click here. 

Urgent Mental Health Support in Norfolk and Suffolk

For urgent mental health support, contact:

  • Call 111 and press option 2 NHS Mental Health Crisis Line (24/7 helpline for anyone of any age) 
  • Contact the Samaritans 
  • If it's a life-threatening emergency call 999.
Barnardo's Phoneline Service - East and West Suffolk

Families who call the Emotional Wellbeing Hub helpline on 0345 600 2090, are now given an additional option to contact the Barnardo's Phoneline Service by pressing option 1.

The Barnardo's Phoneline Service helps families looking for general wellbeing information and guidance to help address common emotional wellbeing issues in children and young people.

The Barnardo's phoneline service provides a separate service to the Emotional Wellbeing Hub, which is delivered by NSFT (Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust).

Please note even though the Barnardo's Phoneline Service shares the same contact number as the Emotional Wellbeing Hub, they are not able to help families with referrals into CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).

For more information about the Barnardo's Phoneline Service go to: Barnardo's Phoneline Service page

Just One Norfolk Service - Lowestoft and Waveney

The Just One Service provides information, advice and guidance on mental health support services for families in Lowestoft and Waveney.

You contact the Just One Service on 0300 300 0123 or visit: www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk 

Other mental health support

Take a look at all Other emotional wellbeing support available to families in Suffolk.

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