Organisations offering support and advice on alcohol, health and wellbeing
Advice for parents and carers
Our Parents Guide to preventing underage drinking contains information on the risks associated with underage drinking and busts some of the myths about alcohol cosumption and young people. You can download it here.
Alcohol Change UK is a charity and campaign group whose aim is to reduce the harm caused by alcohol. Alcohol and parenting | Alcohol Change UK
The Alcohol Education Trust (AET) works across the UK to keep young people safe around alcohol. Parent Area - Alcohol Education Trust
Drinkaware is an independent charity which aims to reduce alcohol-related harm by helping people make better choices about their drinking. https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/news/why-should-you-talk-to-your-children-about-alcohol
Spectrum Community Health is a community interest company based in Wakefield. It has published this useful guide for parents: Young_People__Alcohol_Guide_-_Spectrum_-_2022.pdf (communityalcoholpartnerships.co.uk)
The Public Health Agency for Northern Ireland You, your child and alcohol | HSC Public Health Agency (hscni.net)
Alcohol
A free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme involves getting sober with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0800 917 7650 (24-hour helpline)
Al-Anon is a free self-help “12 step” group for anyone whose life is or has been affected by someone else's drinking
Phone: 0800 0086 811 (daily, 10am to 10pm)
Information about sensible drinking, Government guidelines and health.
Campaigns for effective alcohol policy and improved services for people whose lives are affected by alcohol-related problems.
Provides alcohol education resources for teachers, pupils age 11-18 and their parents via schools. http://www.talkaboutalcohol.com interactive website and information for teachers, young people age 11- 16 and parents.
http://alcoholeducationtrust.org lesson plans, worksheets, films and resources for PSHE and Science Teachers KS3 and KS4
Scotland’s national charity working to reduce the harm caused by alcohol.
The Scottish Government's premier portal on alcohol - contains statistics, research, policy documents and practice guidelines and has a useful links section.
A national award scheme aimed at promoting responsible management and operation of alcohol licensed premises
The Drinkaware Trust is an independent UK - wide alcohol education charity, funded largely by voluntary and unrestricted donations from UK alcohol producers, retailers and supermarkets. The Trust is goverened independently and works in partnership with others to help reduce alcohol-related harm by helping people make better choices about their drinking.
Drinkline
A free and confidential helpline for those worried about someone’s drinking: 0300 123 1110
National Association for Children of Alcoholics
Offers free confidential advice and information to everyone affected by a parent’s drinking including children, adults and professionals.
Phone: 0800 358 3456 (Friday, Saturday and Monday 12pm to 7pm and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 12pm to 9pm)
A voluntary organisation with the aim of achieving a safer social drinking environment in pubs across the UK.
National Health Service (NHS) – Change4Life
Information on alcohol and its effects, including an alcohol self-assessment test and a Drinks Tracker App
Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS)
The UK’s national guarantee scheme for proof of age cards, endorsed by the Home Office, ACPO and the Trading Standards Institute, helping retailers to ensure that they are not taken in by fake ID.
Operates a Code of Practice on the Naming, Packing and Promotion of Alcoholic Drinks to ensure that alcohol is marketed responsibly and does not appeal to children.
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (SFAD)
Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs is a national charity that supports anyone concerned about someone else’s alcohol or drug use in Scotland.
SMART Recovery UK face-to-face and online groups help people decide whether they have a problem with alcohol and drugs, build up their motivation to change, and offer a set of proven tools and techniques to support recovery.
Phone: 0330 053 6022 for general enquiries about SMART Recovery UK (9am to 5pm, Monday-Friday)
A voluntary, Christian organisation – volunteers work to help young people at risk of harm from alcohol to stay safe on the streets
Support for anyone struggling with alcohol or drug misuse or mental health issues – many health boards use “We are with you” as a commissioned service.
Young Scot is the national youth information portal for anyone aged between 11 and 26 in Scotland. In addition to offering free, PASS-accredited cards to all young people aged 11-26 in Scotland, Young Scot supports young people by giving information on a wide range of topics (money, relationships, health, jobs, arts, sports, housing etc) as well as encouraging young people to have their say and discuss topics with others of a similar age.
Mental health
Charity providing support if you have been diagnosed with an anxiety condition.
Phone: 03444 775 774 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5.30pm)
A charity helping people living with manic depression or bipolar disorder.
CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably. A charity providing a mental health helpline and webchat.
Phone: 0800 58 58 58 (daily, 5pm to midnight)
Kooth provides online mental health services for children and adolescent with self-help tools, peer support and professional online counselling. The “go-to” website for many schools in England.
24/7 stress support for men by text, chat and email.
Provides information and support for anyone with mental health problems or learning disabilities.
Promotes the views and needs of people with mental health problems. Phone: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm)
Voluntary charity offering support for sufferers of panic attacks and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Offers a course to help overcome phobias or OCD. Phone: 0300 772 9844 (daily, 10am to 10pm). Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider's acess charge.Email: [email protected]
Support for people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Includes information on treatment and online resources.
Phone: 0845 390 6232 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm). Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider's access charge. Website:
A charity run by people with OCD, for people with OCD. Includes facts, news and treatments. Phone: 0333 212 7890 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Young suicide prevention society. Phone: HOPElineUK 0800 068 4141 (9am to midnight, every day of the year)
Support and advice for people living with mental illness. Phone: 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm)
Confidential support for people experiencing feelings of distress or despair. Phone: 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) www.samaritans.org.uk
Emotional support, information and guidance for people affected by mental illness, their families and carers.
Textcare: comfort and care via text message, sent when the person needs it most, and peer support forum
Information on child and adolescent mental health. Services for parents and professionals.
Phone: Parents' helpline 0808 802 5544 (Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm)
Abuse (child, sexual, domestic violence)
Children's charity dedicated to ending child abuse and child cruelty. Phone: 0800 1111 for Childline for children (24-hour helpline)
0808 800 5000 for adults concerned about a child (24-hour helpline)
Advice on dealing with domestic violence. Phone: 0808 2000 247 (24-hour helpline)
Bereavement
Phone: 0808 808 1677 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Crime victims
To find your local services phone: 0808 802 9999 (daily, 12pm to 2.30pm and 7pm to 9.30pm)
Phone: 0808 168 9111 (24-hour helpline)
Drug misuse
A free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme involves stopping using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0800 612 0225 (daily, 10am to 10pm)
Free, confidential information and advice about drugs, their effects and the law. FRANK's live chat service runs daily from 2pm to 6pm. Phone: 0300 1236600 (24-hour helpline) Text a question to: 82111
A free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme involves stopping using marijuana with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0300 124 0373 (callback service)
A free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme involves stopping using drugs with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0300 999 1212 (daily, 10am to midnight)
SMART Recovery UK face-to-face and online groups help people decide whether they have a problem with alcohol and drugs, build up their motivation to change, and offer a set of proven tools and techniques to support recovery.
Phone: 0330 053 6022 for general enquiries about SMART Recovery UK (9am to 5pm, Monday-Friday) /
Eating disorders
Phone: 0808 801 0677 (adults) or 0808 801 0711 (for under-18s)
Gambling
A free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme involves stopping gambling with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 0330 094 0322 (24-hour)
A free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme is for those affected by someone else’s gambling with the help of regular face-to-face and online support groups. Phone: 08700 50 88 80
Phone: 0808 8020 133 (daily, 8am to midnight) Website:
National Problem Gambling Clinic
A specialist NHS clinic for problem gamblers aged 13 and over. Phone: 020 7381 7722 (callback)
General support
A leading youth charity, the Princes Trust gives practical and financial support to disadvantaged young people enabling them to move into work, education or training.
Scotland’s national youth information and citizenship charity for 11-26 year olds.
“Aye Feel” supports young people’s emotional wellbeing with quality-assured information, expert advice, content made for young people by young people, and signposting for emotional support locally and nationally.
The Parents’ Guide to teaching your teen online safety
A practical guide for parents on how to keep teens safe online, including useful summaries of popular internet apps as well as the types of threats teens could be exposed to online plus other topics and advice such as sharing personal information, socialising online, cyberbullying, harmful content, influencers, body image and mental health for teens online.