Waiting to receive A level or GCSE results can be a nerve-wracking time for students – but a range of help for exam stress or other issues is just a click away 24/7 for young people at www.kooth.com.
Kooth, provided by the NHS in south west London, is a free online platform providing advice and support for emotional or mental health problems, giving instant access to free help in a safe environment.
Because users do not have to provide their names, support can be given to people who might not seek help through their GP.
The service is available to all young people, aged between 11 and 25, and can be accessed using a laptop, smartphone or tablet device.
Children and young people can have one-on-one online sessions with qualified counsellors and therapists, from noon until 10pm on weekdays and from 6pm until 10pm at weekends, 365 days a year. These can be booked in advance or accessed via drop-in instant text-based chats.
Dr John Byrne, Medical Director for the NHS in south west London, said:
“Whether you are waiting for results, or are a parent (like me) wondering how you can help your children, then we recommend that you consider taking a look at Kooth.
“This online support system is a safe space for children and young people to talk to each other, or qualified counsellors and therapists, to get the support, advice and reassurance they might need”
Signing up is simple. Just go to www.kooth.com and follow the seven easy steps.
Dr Byrne added: “I might be a little older, but I well remember the stress when it came to exams and results day. In those days there was very little support available, thankfully we are more enlightened now, and more importantly we can offer you some practical advice and support.”
Kooth isn’t just there at exam results time. Whether young people have financial worries, relationship worries or any other issue, Kooth is always available.
If someone is struggling with their mental health and needs urgent care, they should seek help via the 24/7 crisis lines.
Background
- Kooth is the only digital mental health provider to hold a UK-wide accreditation from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
- Kooth recently launched the #DontDoItAlone campaign alongside five well known influencers to share the importance of not dealing with mental wellbeing alone. More about the #DontDoItAlone campaign
- Kooth’s pre-moderated discussion boards are there to chat with peers about exam results, relationships, anxiety or how to relax.
- Young people can also read or contribute articles or use Kooth to keep an online journal or track wellbeing via an interactive goal tracker.