I am worried and need help
Help and resources for children and young people
If you need help in an emergency, for example you do not feel safe or are being harmed, please call the police by ringing 999.
We love hearing from the children and young people with whom we work. We are always happy to hear from you if you want to speak to us about your family’s court proceedings.
But Cafcass is not an emergency service, and our telephone lines are only open during office hours on Monday to Thursday, from 9am to 5pm and Friday until 4:30pm (excluding Bank Holidays). You can find our telephone numbers and other ways to contact us here.
If you are scared or worried, and you need help right away, the police are the best people to call. If it is not an emergency, then try telephoning or getting in touch with a grown up who you trust and explain to them what is happening to you. If you do not want to or cannot do this, then there are many other organisations to help you.
| Child Line | A children’s charity and helpline |
| Action for Children | Help and advice for children and adults |
| Barnardo’s | A charity working with children |
| National Youth Advocacy Service | Help with legal issues for young people |
| Access to Mental Health Support | There are many ways that you can access mental health support. You may want to speak to your GP about how you are feeling. They may be able to direct you to local services to support you. Otherwise, take a look at the free resources below. |
| Young Minds | A charity providing mental health support to young people |
| Text Shout | Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 for free, confidential, anonymous text support. |
| NHS Urgent Mental Health Support | Let someone know you do not feel safe or are struggling with your mental health. You can call 111 or visit the NHS website to find a local NHS urgent mental health helpline in England. Call 999 |
| Freephone Samaritans | 116 123 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) |
| Freephone Childline | 0800 1111 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) |
| Hope Line UK | Telephone helpline providing support, advice and information to young people or those who are worried about them. 0800 068 41 41 |
FJYPB resources
You may find it helpful to read about the experiences of other children and young people who have been through family court proceedings. The Family Justice Young People’s Board (FJYPB) has a range of helpful resources, tips and advice for children and young people. These have been written by young people with direct experience of the family justice system. They have even written a book about it, called ‘In our Shoes”.
Please visit the FJYPB section of our website.
Cafcass Family Forum resources
Finally, our Family Forum has resources about family court proceedings. These are produced mainly for parents, carers, and people who work within the family justice system, but they may be of help to you too.
You can find the Cafcass Family Forum resources here.
Report abuse in education
| Helpline for abuse in educational settings | A dedicated helpline for children and young people who have experienced abuse at school, and for worried adults and professionals that need support and guidance, including for non-recent abuse. Call the new NSPCC helpline, Report Abuse in Education on 0800 136 663 or email help@nspcc.org.uk. |