Support services and resources when leaving care

Below you can find a number of support services and additional resources to help you when you leave care.

Registering with a GP surgery

Anyone in England can register with a GP surgery to access NHS services. It’s free to register.

Click here to find out more and find your nearest GP surgery.

Find a dentist

Click here to find your local NHS dental surgery.

Find an opticians

Click here to find an opticians and to see if you are entitled to free NHS eye tests.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing support

Staying Close Staying Connected

If you are a young person living in care in Leicester City, the City Council and the CAMHS Young People’s Team have partnered up to create the Staying Close, Staying Connected project.  The aim of the project is to support you with the emotional impact your life experiences may have had and to prepare for your life after leaving care.

The support each young person needs and concerns will be different so project workers will meet with you to listen to what would work best for you and to make a personalised plan to support you.  This could include:

  • practical skills for day to day living
  • support with mental health difficulties
  • building resilience in mental health.

If you are interested in the Staying Close, Staying Connected project, please contact your social worker or leaving care advisor who can share the referral form with you.

Click here to learn more about Staying Close Staying Connected.

Young Minds

Whether you want to understand more about how you’re feeling and find ways to feel better, or you want to support someone who’s struggling, YoungMinds can help.

Click here to visit the YoungMinds website.

Samaritans

Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you.

Click here to visit the Samaritans’ website.

Tellmi

Tellmi is a safe, anonymous app where you can talk about absolutely anything. From anxiety to autism, dating to depression, or self-harm to self-esteem, sharing your experiences with an online community helps you to feel better.

Click here to visit the Tellmi website.

NHS: 5 steps to mental wellbeing

Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing.

Click here to view the 5 steps to mental wellbeing.

Headspace

Live a healthier, happier, more well-rested life in just a few minutes a day with the Headspace app.

Click here to view the Headspace website.

Vitaminds

A free Talking Therapy service designed to support individuals by providing the tools needed to get things back on track.

Click here to visit the Vitaminds website.

Mental Health Central Access Point Helpline

If you, or someone you care about, need urgent advice or support for your mental health, you can call our Mental Health Central Access Point 24 hours a day, seven days a week free of charge and in confidence.

Call: 0808 800 332

Sexual health support

Find sexual health services

Click here to visit the NHS website to find local sexual health services.

Leicester Sexual Health Service

Click here to visit the Leicester Sexual Health Service website.

Trade Sexual Health

A health charity working with under-represented communities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGB&T) and new arrivals, across Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland (UK).

Click here to visit the Trade Sexual Health website.

Drugs and alcohol

FRANK

Click here to find details of local and national services that provide counselling and treatment in England.

Turning Point

Supporting young people with drug and alcohol issues.

Click here to visit the Turning Point website.

Smoking

NHS: Stop smoking services

Local stop smoking services are free, friendly and can massively boost your chances of quitting for good.

Click here to visit the NHS stop smoking webpages.

LiveWell Leicester: Stopping smoking

Free, friendly, non judgemental support and advice to help you stop smoking.

Click here to visit the Livewell Leicester stopping smoking webpage.

QuitReady

As part of Leicestershire County Council, the service offers a tailored stop smoking programme that is led by you.

Click here to visit the QuitReady website.

Healthy lifestyle

NHS: Live Well

NHS advice about healthy living, including eating a balanced diet, healthy weight, exercise, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol

Click here to visit the NHS Live Well website.

NHS: How to eat a balanced diet

Information about eating a balanced diet, including advice about vegetarian and vegan diets

Click here to find out more about how to eat a balanced diet.

NHS: Physical activity guidelines for children and young people

Click here to view the physical activity guidelines for children and young people.

NHS: Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64

Click here to view the physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64.

Requesting your health record

You have the legal right to request a copy of the information held about you, in line with the Retained General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Click here to find out more about requesting your health record.