What we do

YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional well being and mental health of children and young people. Driven by their experiences we campaign, research and influence policy and practice.

We also provide expert knowledge to professionals, parents and young people through our Parents’ Helpline, online resources, training and development, outreach work and publications.

We empower children and young people

Group of young peopleChildren and young people with mental health problems are at the heart of everything we do. Their voices are central in all our lobbying and influencing work. Our VIK (Very Important Kids) share their own experiences with professionals and policy makers at a national and local level to improve to improve mental health services and outcomes for all children and young people.

"I think being part of V.I.K. has really changed my life because it has put a very positive spin on a lot of experiences I had."

We support parents and carers

Helping parents and carers to understand their child’s behaviour and enabling them to secure the right professional help for their children is crucial. Our free Parents’ Helpline is a lifeline to thousands of parents and carers each year who are worried about the emotional problems or behaviour of a child or young person.  The telephone service is supported by a specialist call back service, email and online support.

A vital service connecting thousands of worried parents to expert advisers each year."

Deidre Sanders, Agony Aunt

We train and support professionals

YoungMinds training.YoungMinds provides expert training, resources and consultancy to anyone who works with children and young people. Our training gives them the knowledge and confidence they need to promote better mental health and wellbeing, and to identify and help children who are struggling.

Our specialist projects include:

  • YoungMinds in Schools, a project which aims to support educational professionals’ understanding of the link between emotional wellbeing and learning
  • Moving on, focusing on the mental health needs of looked after children and young people facing transition
  • Better Outcomes, New Delivery (BOND), which aims to increase the number of voluntary sector organisations winning contracts for early intervention services.

We make mental health information accessible

Parent and child readingWe produce an essential range of easy-to-read publications about children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing; thousands are sold each year. We also provide a vital source of trustworthy online information for young people and parents, where they can share their experiences and support each other.

YoungMinds Magazine provides mental health and children’s professionals with the latest news, features, research, practice and opinions affecting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

We change attitudes and policies

YoungMinds has a twenty year track record of highly successful campaigning and in raising awareness to improve young people’s mental health and wellbeing. All our work is evidence based and our policy, research and campaigns influence local, regional and national services.

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