Health and wellbeing for care leavers

Our Leaving Care Team and your worker can support you to stay healthy and look after your physical and mental health and well-being.

Your social worker or PA will help you to download the NHS App, which you can use as a digital ‘Health passport’. It details your health history, gives online health advice, and you will be able to make GP appointments online (with participating GPs).

It is important that you take care of yourself and speak to your PA about any health concerns you may have.

Your pathway plan will also detail any health needs that you may have and include your NHS number and GP and Dentist information – and remember to keep your PA updated.

Compass – Harrow Young People’s Drug Misuse Service

Compass is a free, confidential service for children and young people who need support around their own or another person’s drug or alcohol (substance) use.

Young people under 18 can be referred to Compass, or you can self-refer. Compass can work with young people up to age 24.

Compass Harrow is co-located with other providers of children and young people’s services. These services include support around domestic violence, sexual health (including free condoms and HIV testing) and mental health, as well as careers and employment opportunities.

Compass’s caring and friendly team are available at a time that suits you and at a place where you feel comfortable.

Contact Compass if you need support with your own, or someone else’s, drug or alcohol use: Tel: 020 8861 2787 / 07917261962 or adminharrow@compass-uk.org

Sexual Health

The Caryl Thomas Clinic is the sexual health and contraceptive service based in Headstone Drive, Wealdstone, HA1 4UQ. Call 020 3893 8575 for the Contraceptive Service and 020 8966 6429 for the Sexual Health Service. You can access free condoms here, or at many other pharmacies which display the “C-Card”.

Sexual Health London (SHL.UK) is a new online sexual health service that is available to residents of Brent, Ealing and Harrow who want a straightforward and convenient test for sexually transmitted infections without needing to visit a clinic.SHL’s testing service is for people who have mild or no STI symptoms, and would like to get themselves checked.

You can also request free regular and emergency contraception (effective up to 5 days after unprotected sex) by completing a simple, secure online consultation: https://www.shl.uk/

Mental and Emotional Health

If you are in crisis, please call your worker or emergency services 999 straight away for immediate help. If you’ve hurt yourself, it’s important you go to Accident and Emergency quickly so you can receive medical treatment.

If you are struggling to cope and need to talk, Shout 85258 is a free, confidential, anonymous text support service. You can text from wherever you are in the UK.

Their trained Shout volunteers are here for you, day or night. https://giveusashout.org

Another service is Kooth (www.kooth.com) which is commissioned by the NHS, Local Authorities, charities and businesses to provide anonymous and personalised mental health support for Children and Young People.

With over 4000 logins per day, they provide end to end support whatever the need. Kooth.com is an anonymous site where you can feel safe and confident to explore concerns and seek professional support. Access to Kooth is immediate. There is no need for a referral, no waiting lists and the service is available 24/7.

A specialist organisation based in Harrow is HeadsUp. This is a specialist young people’s mental health service provided by five local organisations:

• Mind in Harrow
• Centre for ADHD and Autism Support
• Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre
• Paiwand
• WISH Centre.

HeadsUp is a free and confidential service for young people aged 13-25 in Harrow. The service helps young people in Harrow improve their mental health, resilience, and to build self-esteem. The service provides peer-led mental wellbeing workshops and specialist one-to-one and group sessions. They are tailored for young people from the LGBT+ community, young people from refugee and asylum-seeking families and those with a diagnosis/suspected diagnosis of ADHD or Autism.

For further information and referrals to HeadsUp visit www.headsupharrow.uk, Tel: 020 8515 7853, Email: info@mindinharrow.org.uk 

Or you can contact one of the services directly:

• Centre for ADHD & Autism Tel: 020 8429 1552 enquiries@adhdandautism.org
• Mosaic LGBT+ Youth Centre Tel: 0800 161 5428 info@mosaicyouth.org.uk
• Paiwand Tel: 020 8905 8770 info@paiwand.com
• The WISH Centre Tel: 020 8416 7277 info@thewishcentre.org.uk