Mental Health, Wellbeing Support Over The Holidays

Healthwatch Kingston will be closed from 5pm on Friday, 20 December 2024 - 9am on Monday, 6 January 2025. Below you can find a list of local and national organisations that may be able to provide mental heath support during the holiday season. 

We have also recently posted advice and information on local services that may be able to support you with issues such as the cost of living:

Find out more about other services and support available to Kingston residents

Please remember that you can access mental health support through your GP or social care services; for more details, visit the Council website.

Mental health Information and advice is also available from Mind in Kingston, a local charity dedicated to mental health. 

You can also visit Connected Kingston's website where there is signposting and information on a range of services available to local residents. 

Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Crisis Line: 0203 228 5980

If you are a child or young person, or a parent/carer concerned about a young person’s mental health, you can contact the South London Partnership CAMHS Crisis Line on 0203 228 5980. The service is open Monday to Friday from 5pm-11pm, and weekends and bank holidays from 9am-11pm. 

Only call 999 or go to your local A&E department if:

• someone's life is at risk – for example they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose
• you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe.

EMHIP health and wellbeing hubs

The EMHIP (Ethnicity and Mental Health Improvement Project) health and wellbeing hubs offer a safe space where community mental health workers will work with you to identify the help and support you need. The hubs provide mental health first aid, wellbeing workshops and individual and group therapies. There are two EMHIP hubs in South West London:

• New Testament Assembly (side access), 7 Beechcroft Road, Tooting Bec, SW17 7BU
• Mushkil Aasaan, 222 Upper Tooting Rd, SW17 7EW

You can drop in to either hub at any time during their opening hours, no appointment is necessary. The hubs are open Monday to Friday from 10am-5pm. They will close on Friday 22 December and reopen on Tuesday 2 January.

Other organisations that can help

Free listening services

If you just need to talk, any time of day or night, these services offer confidential support from trained volunteers. You can talk about anything that's troubling you, no matter how difficult:

• Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
• Text "SHOUT" to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text "YM" if you're under 19

If you're under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline or chat to one of their counsellors online. The number will not appear on your phone bill.

Other useful contacts:

• Beat
  Beat support people who have or are worried they have an eating disorder, as well as others affected, such as friends and family members. Visit Beat’s website to find out more about their online and telephone support services.
• Crisis Tools
  Crisis Tools helps you support young people in crisis. Short accessible video guides and text resources are available for free here.
• Every Mind Matters
  Every Mind Matters offers expert advice and practical tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing.
• Good Thinking
  Good Thinking is London’s digital wellbeing service and provides a range of resources for people to help improve mental wellbeing including free NHS-approved apps.
• Hub of Hope
  The Hub of Hope is a mental health support database. It is provided by national mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma, and brings local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place.
• Papyrus
  Papyrus provides confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person. Call 0800 068 4141 or text 07860 039967. The line is open 24 hours every day of the year, including weekends and bank holidays.
• The Mix
  The Mix provides free, confidential support for young people under 25. You can get one-to-one focused support by phone, webchat or email. Find more information on their website here: Get Support - The Mix
• NHS
  The NHS website has a range of helpful information and advice about getting support for your mental health. Visit Mental health - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
• Kooth
  Kooth offers free, confidential and anonymous online support and counselling for 11-23 year olds. Their team will be available to provide mental wellbeing support over the festive period. Chat availability dates and times: