Children aged 13-18 years

This page has been designed for you with other care experienced young people. It’s here to help you find health information and advice in one place.
Click on the topic you’re interested in and take a look at the videos or links. There’s lots of information on keeping your body and mind healthy, and other issues too like friendships and bullying, gender identity and who to contact if you would like more advice.
You can let us know what you think about the content or if you think something should be added, by contacting one of us in the Children In Care & Care Leaver Designated Nurse team in Surrey & Sussex.
Information to support about care experience young people
Sleep
- Teens & Young People - Teen Sleep Hub
- Problems sleeping | Childline
- Sleep Problems | Mental Health Support | YoungMinds
Mental health
- What is CAMHS? | NHS
- Information for children and young people | NHS
- Mental health charity for children and young people | YoungMinds
- Essential support for under 25s | The Mix
- Useful contacts - 11-18 year olds’ mental health | Mind
- If you’re having a difficult time | Samaritans
- Your feelings | ChildLine
- Calm zone | ChildLine
- Exam stress and pressure | ChildLine
- Thinking of going missing? - Missing People
- Young-carers
- Winston’s Wish - giving hope to grieving children
- Home: grief encounter - Support for grieving children & young people
- Child Bereavement UK
- Hub of Hope - Directory of support services in Sussex
Here are some phone numbers and text lines to access free support if you need it:
- ChildLine: 0800 1111
- Mind: 0300 123 3393 or Text: 86463
- Samaritans: 116 123
- Missing People: 116 000
Will I get ‘Sectioned’ if I tell a doctor how I’m feeling?
Puberty and periods:
Keeping healthy
- Staying healthy | ChildLine
- Health for Kids | Sussex
- Active Sussex
- Health for Teens | Brighton & Hove and West Sussex
- Physical activity guidelines for children and young people
- Water, drinks and hydration - Find out how much is needed to stay hydrated
- NHS Food Scanner app - Download the App to scan foods to find out what’s really in your food. There’s helpful recipes too.
- How To Check Your Breasts, Pecs or Chest | CoppaFeel!
- Let’s check your nuts - Baggy Trousers UK | Testicular Cancer Awareness
- Eye tests for children - NHS
- Sunscreen and sun safety - NHS
Chat Health - is a free confidential text message service from your School Health team for health advice for ages 11-19yrs. The service is available Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays) between 9:00am-4:30pm. Text your local team:
- East Sussex: 07507 332 473
- Brighton & Hove: 07480 635 423
- West Sussex: 07480 635 424
Health conditions
Asthma
Diabetes
- If you are 12-13yrs old and have diabetes
- If you are 14-15yrs old and have diabetes
- If you are 16-18yrs old and have diabetes
- Diabetes UK - Know diabetes. Fight diabetes. | Diabetes UK
Epilepsy
- Just for kids - Epilepsy Action
- Young people and epilepsy | Epilepsy Society
- Hormones, menstrual cycles, and periods | Epilepsy Society
Toileting
Here are some links to information for young people experiencing problems with toileting. You can also text your School Health team on the free CHAT Health number, detailed above in the ‘Keeping Healthy’ section.
- URApp - Download the APP for tips and advice
- Advice on Bladder and Bowel Problems in Children and Young People
- Information and advice - ERIC
Dental health
- How to find an NHS dentist - NHS
- Teens’ teeth - Oral Health Foundation
- How to keep your teeth clean - NHS
- Brush DJ - Download the APP to play music whilst you brush and see other helpful tips to keep your teeth healthy
Smoking, vaping, drugs and alcohol
- Drugs, alcohol and smoking | ChildLine
- Vaping | ChildLine
- Vapes | FRANK (talktofrank.com)
- Smoking | ChildLine
- Change Grow Live | Charity | We can help you change your life
- Honest information about drugs | FRANK (talktofrank.com)
- Talk To FRANK helpline: 0300 123 6600 (free) or Text: 82111 (free)
Immunisations
An ‘Immunisation’ is medicine given to you by a nurse or doctor, either by a small injection into your arm, or a nose spray, or sometimes a medicine that you swallow.
Most children and young people have immunisations to help keep them healthy and to stop them or others around them getting very poorly.
You might be asked to have some immunisations you needed when you were younger - this is only if you missed some and to help you stay healthy. Your carer, social worker or nurse will let you know if you need to have an Immunisation.
You can find out more about the immunisations you might be asked to have here:
- MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- HPV vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- MenACWY vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- 3-in-1 teenage booster overview - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Child flu vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Hepatitis B vaccine - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- COVID-19 vaccination - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- NHS vaccinations and when to have them - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Gender Identity
- Sexual and gender identity
- Allsorts Youth Project
- Worried about your gender identity? Advice for teenagers - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Gender Identity - Childline
Friendships and bullying
Sexual health and relationships
Take a look at the links below to find out more about relationships and sexual health. There’s also information about local sexual health and contraception services if you need them.
- Healthy and unhealthy relationships | Childline
- Sex and consent | Childline
- Contraception and safe sex | Childline
- Sexual Health & Wellbeing - Brook - Fighting for healthy lives
Sexual Health service in Surrey and Sussex
- East Sussex Sexual Health or phone: 0808 168 1282
- Brighton & Hove Sexual Health and Contraception Service or phone: 01273 523 388
- West Sussex Sexual Health Service or phone: 01903 285199
- Young people's sexual health services (under 25 year olds) | Healthy Surrey
Keeping safe
Take a look at the sites below to learn more about keeping safe online, at home and in public
School health teams
- West Sussex and Brighton and Hove: Health for Kids
- East Sussex: East Sussex school health service
- Surrey: Surrey Child and Family Health