Local Services for the Isle of Wight

Services for children and young people on the Isle of Wight are still operating, but due to the coronavirus they will be working in a different way.

Please click on the tabs below to find out more, and contact individual services for more information if required.

Think Ninja is a free app available to all young people aged 11-17 who live on the Isle of Wight. Based on principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the app helps young people to notice and change their thinking styles so they can maintain positive mental health and emotional wellbeing. The app has been updated to include specific information and activities relating to coronavirus. Follow this link to Healios to see introductory videos as well as a direct link to the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store – young people need to input their postcode and date of birth to gain access.

Think Ninja is not available for PCs and offers support only – it should not therefore be used as a replacement intervention for mental health input from NHS CAMHS or counselling services.

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) service provides a service to children and young people aged 0-18yrs and their families who are experiencing emotional health and wellbeing difficulties. Parents, children and young people can contact the service to discuss how they can access the service’s support. Tel: 01983 523602 (Monday to Thursday 08.30am-5pm, Friday 08.30am-4.30pm. The CAMHS service is accepting referrals as normal. You can also ask a health professional to refer you to the service, adolescents can also refer themselves to the service. You can find more about the CAMHS service here and they have recently set up a CCAMHS Facebook page which has lots of helpful resources and ideas. The page is called Isle of Wight CCAMHS.

The Isle of Wight Youth Trust offers free support, information and advice for young Islanders aged 4- 25 years and their families. Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, the Youth Trust Team is working remotely. During this time, they are contactable by phoning 01983 529 569 between 10am -4pm Monday to Friday. They will also be responding to emails sent to info@iowyouthtrust.co.uk. You can also keep up to date with Youth Trust news and tips for supporting your mental health by visiting The Isle of Wight Youth Trust or following their social media accounts:

Counselling Services

Talk2 Counselling service for children and young people. Providing help and support for children’s emotional health and wellbeing that is child directed, systems focused, strengths based and outcome informed. In light of coronavirus, currently offering support and reassurance to children and families by telephone.

Referrals received over the phone and electronically as always but not currently received in the post.

Barnardo’s 4U Services can support with:

  • Advocacy (For U): Offering advocacy support to children open to Social Care. This service helps to ensure the voice of the child is heard by professionals and informs care plans.
  • Independent Visiting (With U): An Independent Visiting volunteer will provide independent support to young people in care. Volunteers provide a positive role model and contact is happening digitally during Covid-19 lock-down measures.
  • Exploitation (U Turn): We provide support to young people who have been exploited or at risk of child exploitation.
  • Missing Return Interviews (Miss U): We independently speak to a young person who has been reported missing to the police. (this service is available for children who are placed out of area for the Isle of Wight and for children not open to social care in Portsmouth- referrals via allocated social worker only)

For information please email: b4u@barnardos.org.uk

Or call Barnardo’s 4U Services admin on: 07394 704 913

Bereavement counselling services – Mountbatten continue to support children and young people both pre and post bereavements. At this time, sessions are conducted by telephone (the service is exploring options for video calls and online forums). New referrals continue to be accepted.

Contact Mountbatten on 01983 217346 or coordinationcentre@mountbatten.org.uk

Space 4 U safe haven – this is an emotional crisis support service for young people aged 11-17 (up to 18 with additional needs). We have currently closed the face to face Space 4 U drop in sessions. There is a dedicated Space 4 U mobile number that young people can contact during the 2 normal face to face Space 4 U sessions- Monday 6pm- 8.30pm and Wednesday 6pm to 8.30pm. Phone number- 07741 665182. We are currently looking at ways to increase the number of sessions that the phone will be answered, as well as setting up web chat for young people to access.

For people who identify as LGBT+ or are questioning their sexuality or gender identity. If you are aged under 21 (under 25 with additional needs) then Breakout Youth can provide confidential one to one support, youth groups, sexual health advice and support and signpost to other services that may help you. We have currently closed all of our face to face Breakout groups across the service. The Breakout phone enquiries line has now been redirected to the service manager, and will be answered Monday to Thursday 9.30am -3.30pm (02380 224 224 Option 4) In the times when this line will not be answered, there is a voicemail service, that will be picked up on the next working day and responded to. The email enquiries line is getting checked daily (Monday to Friday) and messages responded to as soon as possible (enquiries@breakoutyouth.org.uk)

All young people that are already attending Breakout Youth Groups on the island are receiving weekly check ins from the youth worker, with the offer of 1-2-1 telephone sessions if the young person feels they would like to talk to a youth worker.

Referrals- we are still accepting referrals, and they will be dealt with on an individual basis. For example, if a young person would benefit from immediate phone 1-2-1 sessions, then we will arrange this during this time.

Online groups- we are hoping to commence online youth groups for current young people, and we are currently researching the best platform to facilitate these with. Once this decision has been made, young people will be contacted to advise on how to access these session, along with group agreements and information around maintaining confidentiality etc. These will likely be held at the same time as the face to face groups would have happened each week (Thursday evening) We are currently looking at designing sessions that would be a real benefit to young people in these current times of isolation and potentially heightened anxiety.

A free and confidential service for all children and young people aged 24 and under, supporting young people affected by drugs or alcohol. We work with you to achieve your goals, and can come to you. You can get help using an online referral form, or by calling 01983 526654, emailing inclusioniow@mpft.nhs.uk or texting on 07980 778876.

In light of coronavirus, InclusionInspire is delivering a primarily telephone based service in order to reduce spread of the virus while maintaining positive contact with service users. The level of contact has been assessed according to risk on a case by case basis to ensure that whatever our staffing level at any given time we prioritise the most at risk patients.

Home Visits, Outreach and face to face work are still taking place when it is necessary and other methods of support cannot be used. A COVID-19 pre-screening taking place in advance whenever possible.

We are increasing access to on-line interventions and posting work books and resources to clients. We are facilitating triage assessments via telephone in the usual assessment slots.

We are frequently reviewing prescription regimes in the light of a rapidly changing picture of pharmacy availability. In some cases we are providing take home prescriptions (with safe storage boxes and naloxone where indicated) to avoid interruptions to prescriptions such as when pharmacies close or are unable to provide supervised consumption. This is challenging and we are working with the LPC to minimize interruptions. In accordance with nationally agreed guidance in most cases it is considered less dangerous to provide take home medications than to allow clients to be left without medication at all.

This service provides support to young carers and their families on a needs-led basis. At the moment, due to coronavirus, this includes:

  • Phone and email support for young carers and their families
  • A listening ear
  • Activity packs supporting emotional literacy and resilience
  • Liaison with Schools
  • Liaison with other professionals, children's services etc.
  • Ideas, suggestions and links for education, physical and mental wellbeing
  • Information and guidance to help young carers and families receive further services that can provide support
  • Remote counselling for those most impacted

The website is currently being updated to reflect the support available. Referrals accepted by email to iowyoungcarers@ymca-fg.org, phone number is 01983 861071.

We have identified a designated phone number for young people to message the School Nursing team if they are anxious or worried at this time. We will be able to offer a call back with advice and signpost to the best resources and services for young people. This is a safe and confidential service especially for young people.

The number is 07341 868124. This dedicated phone line will be open Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm, including in the school holidays. The young person should leave a message and a member of the team will get back to them as soon as possible, within 24 hours (within the working week of Monday to Friday).