Emotional and mental wellbeing

Ambitious About Autism resources: Ambitious About Autism has shared some resources around autism and mental health, co-produced with young autistic people: How you can help young autistic people, Know Your Normal editable toolkit, and case studies around eating disorders, sexual assault, and Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). 

Contact's Listening Ear: You might be struggling emotionally and looking for strategies to help you cope. Maybe you just need to talk to someone who understands the extra challenges you face and can point you in the right direction to get the family support you need. Contact offers one to one confidential phone appointments with a family support adviser.

Easy Read resources: The Clinical Psychology team in Pennine Care Learning Disability Directorate have developed some easy read online wellbeing resources, including sleep, anxiety and anger. 

Educational Psychology support: OneEducation Educational Psychologists offer phone consultations to parents/carers of children and young people with an autism diagnosis from the Bridge, the Winnicott Centre and Carol Kendrick Unit. You can have a problem-solving conversation relating to any aspect of your child's education. This might be issues around learning, behaviour, anxiety and mental health needs. To book this, please send an email with your name and phone number: autism.edpsych@oneeducation.co.uk 

Free counselling and support service: Respect For All offers a range of free support to autistic people, people with learning disabilities, and their parents and carers in Greater Manchester. 

Affordable counselling for carers: Gaddum's affordable adult counselling service is open to carers aged 18 and over living in Greater Manchester. You can have counselling sessions from the comfort of your own home via telephone or online. The cost is based on your income and starts at £10 per session for those on means-tested benefits, including Carers Allowance.

Anxiety UK support: Anxiety UK offers support around anxiety, including a helpline, text service and and live chat.

Bereavement support

Carers Manchester - can signpost you to a range of organisations if you have recently been bereaved.

Goodbye Daisy - Writer Stephanie Nimmo has created a free audio version of her book ‘Goodbye Daisy’ on You Tube. to help children, particularly those with learning disabilities, with their emotions around the death of a loved one.

Gov.uk - Practical guidance and advice on what to do following a loss, like registering the death and arranging the funeral. 

Winston’s Wish - offers support to bereaved children. 

Be Well: Be Well is the Social Prescribing Service for Manchester. Wherever you are in life, they can help you develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to take control of your life, health and wellbeing. Ask your GP to put you in touch with them. 

CALM: The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide. 75% of all UK suicides are male and CALM exists to change this. They run a free and confidential helpline and webchat, 7 hours a day, 7 days a week, for anyone who needs to talk about life’s problems. They also support those bereaved by suicide. See the website for more information.

Carers Manchester: Carers Manchester can signpost you to a range of organisations that can help with your mental health and wellbeing. Visit their mental health information for tips.

Carefree carers breaks: Carefree offer low-cost short breaks in the UK for unpaid carers. After registering with them, you can browse the options and submit a request for a hotel on specific dates. Hotels donate 1-2 night breaks in a twin or double room, plus breakfast where possible, for you and a companion (adult or child). There’s no charge for accommodation, just a £25 admin fee to help with the cost of operating their charity. Find out more on the Carefree website.

Domestic Abuse - support and advice: Manchester City Council has information on help and support around domestic abuse and what to do if you’re in a situation. If you need to get off the page quickly for any reason, there’s an exit button which takes you to an unrelated website.

Ear For You: helpline for BAME families: This Greater Manchester Service offers support to Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) families around the impact of the pandemic. See more information on the NESTAC website.

Every Mind Matters: The NHS Every Mind Matters has guidance around low mood and depression, mood-boosters, and helpful suggestions for looking after your mental health.

Free family wellbeing courses: Manchester Adult Education has free online courses for parents around Confidence Building, Stress Management and Family Wellbeing.

Gardening On Prescription: Sow the City has a gardening scheme - Nature for Health. See this information for how to access the service. 

Give Us A Shout: Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help. Text Shout to 85258.

There is also a crisis text service for deaf people. It’s free and available 24/7 to provide immediate support. Text DEAF to 85258.

Helpline for Black and Asian families: Barnardos has a helpline for Black and Asian families. It’s called Boloh, which means speak in many languages. 

Hub of Hope: The Hub of Hope is a mental health support network provided by Chasing the Stigma. You can put in your postcode and it brings up local support organisations and groups offering support and help.

Living Life To The Full: Living Life To The Full is a suite of free online self-help courses and resources for people in Greater Manchester that you can access at home or on the go. It teaches life skills and shares tools to improve wellbeing and resilience. Find out more here.  

Manchester counselling: Manchester's Community Development Initiative (CDI) offer a low-cost counselling service for individuals who are experiencing mental health issues or couples with relationship problems. They have limited free counselling. 

Manchester mental health 24/7 helpline: Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust's helpline for their service users and carers is open 24/7 and can be called free of charge any time, day or night.

Manchester Self Help Services: Manchester’s Self Help Services (part of Big Life Group) provide free therapeutic support for anxiety and low mood to the whole of Manchester. You can be referred or self-refer. 

Meditation and mindfulness: See this NHS link to mindfulness and relaxation techniques. There is also this information on a breathing exercise for stress.

Mental wellbeing audio-guides: These NHS Mental Wellbeing audio-guides, include low mood and depression, anxiety control training, sleep problems, and unhelpful thinking.

Mind in Manchester: There is various support available from Manchester Mind. See their website.

Mobilise - carers support: Mobilise is a free online community set up by carers for carers. Support includes regular virtual cuppas. Check out their website.  

Papyrus - prevention of young suicide: Papyrus’ HOPELINEUK is for children and young people under the age of 35 who are experiencing thoughts of suicide. It is also for anyone concerned that a young person could be thinking about suicide. 

Samaritans: Whatever you’re going through, the Samaritans are there 24 hours a day. Call them free at any time, from any phone on 116 123. 

Shining A Light On Suicide: Suicide is being brought out of the dark in Greater Manchester. Whether you’re feeling suicidal, worried someone else is, or have lost someone to suicide, you’re not alone. See Shining A Light On Suicide for information and support.

SilverCloud – free online therapy: SilverCloud is available for all Greater Manchester residents. This is a free, online therapy programme to help with stress, anxiety, low mood and depression.

Sleep help: Good-quality sleep makes a big difference to how we feel, mentally and physically. Resources are available from Public Health England at Every Mind Matters.