Adult mental health
Parent and Carer Counselling Service
Website: Parent and carer counselling service
Phone: 020 7974 6500
A trained and qualified counsellor employed in the Educational Psychology Service manages the Parent and Carer Counselling Service. The service is for parents, foster carers and other carers of children in Camden schools and children’s centres. Parents and carers can be offered 12 counselling sessions. These are not delivered by educational psychologists but by people in counselling professions. They are one-to-one sessions and they remain confidential to parents/carers and the counsellor.
iCope
Website: iCope North London Psychological Therapies
Phone: 020 3317 6670
There are times when everyone feels stressed or unhappy. Generally these bad times pass, but sometimes there are problems that do not go away and things get harder and harder. At some point in their life, one in four people feel this way. Talking about your problems really can help.
iCope: Camden and Islington Psychological Therapies Service can give you the time to talk. We offer therapies for adults of all ages, from young to old. We can help you learn ways to help yourself so that you feel more able to cope with your problems.
IESO
Website: IESO Health
Phone: 0800 074 5560
IESO offers online CBT which is a focused and relatively short-term therapy that deals with the here and now. If you work collaboratively with your therapist, it will not take long to start noticing an improvement.
Nafsiyat
Website: Nafsiyat
Phone: 020 7263 6947
Address: Unit 4, Lysander Mews, N19 3QP
Nafsiyat is an intercultural therapy centre, committed to providing effective and accessible psychotherapy and counselling services to people from diverse religious, cultural and ethnic communities in London. Our team is made up of experienced, fully-qualified psychotherapists and counsellors from diverse backgrounds who are sensitive to the particular therapeutic needs of cultural minority groups. We provide short-term intercultural therapy in over 20 different languages, via referral, to individuals, groups, and couples. We also offer long-term, privately funded therapy via our Nafsiyat Choice service.
Other local mental health services
Visit the Mental Health Camden website
Bereavement
Grief Encounter
Website: Grief Encounter
Phone: 020 8371 8455
Address: The Lodge 17 East End Road London N3 3QE
We help families address a multitude of challenging issues following the death of a loved one, alleviating the hurt and confusion caused, whilst promoting healing.
Camden City Islington Westminster Bereavement Counselling
Website: bereavement-counselling.org
Phone: 020 7284 0090
Address: 6-8 York Mews NW5 2UJ
The service is available to anyone over 18. Counselling is free of charge to clients who are registered with a GP in either Camden or Islington. If you are registered with a GP in any other London borough, we ask you to make a contribution towards your counselling.
Bullying
Bullying UK (Part of Family Lives)
Website: bullying.co.uk
Phone: 0808 800 2222
Basic info: Family Lives works around the clock, transforming the lives of families, supporting parents and making happier relationships, happier families and a stronger society. Our experience enables us to help families with any problem or challenge that they face. Our trained family support workers, both paid and volunteer, offer all family members immediate and ongoing help on the phone, online or in local communities.
Child Law Advice
Website: Child Law Advice information on bullying
Phone: 0300 330 5485
This page provides information on the duties of schools and local authorities to prevent and tackle bullying in schools and action that can be taken by a parent or child to address bullying.
NSPCC
Website: NSPCC bullying and cyberbullying
Phone: 0808 800 5000 Email: [email protected]
Trained helpline counsellors available 24/7 to offer support for parents, carers or anyone else worried about a child.
Caring responsibilities
Camden Carers
Website: camdencs.org.uk
Phone: 020 7428 8950
Camden Carers Service (CCS) is a partnership between Camden Carers Centre and Centre 404. CCS offers advice, support and activities for family and unpaid carers across the borough. Our priorities are to offer help and advice to carers; identify new carers needing support and give carers a voice in design of local services.
Children and young people's mental health
NCL Waiting Room
Explore over 300 wellbeing options for children and young people on the NHS's NCL Waiting Room website.
Open Minded (CAMHS)
This service is here to assess and treat the full range of emotional and behavioural difficulties in childhood and adolescence.
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Website: annafreud.org
Phone number: 020 7794 2313
Address: Kantor Centre of Excellence 4-8 Rodney Street London N1 9JH
This services provides a wide range of emotional support for children, young people and families, seeing them at the centre, in schools and other settings. This also includes direct work with the aim to build resilience and to help children, young people and families who are in distress.
The Brandon Centre
Website: brandon-centre.org.uk/counselling
Phone: 020 7267 1321
26 Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town, London NW5 3LG
The Brandon Centre is a free service for young people aged 12 to 24 who can access counselling and psychotherapy support.
The Hive Camden
Website: catch-22.org.uk/services/the-hive
Phone: 020 3198 0521 Email: [email protected]
The Hive, 18 Harben Parade, Finchley Road, London, NW3 6JP
The Hive is a free health and wellbeing service that supports all young people aged 16 to 24 in Camden. We support young people with education, employment, housing, sexual health, substance misuse and health and wellbeing, including emotional and mental health.
Camden Rise young people's website
Visit: camdenrise.co.uk/emotional-wellbeing
Domestic abuse / sexual assault
Camden Safety Net
Website: Contact Camden Safety Net
Phone: 020 7974 2526 or 07814 671427
Camden Safety Net provides services to survivors of domestic abuse and/or sexual violence as well as to children affected by violence. Camden Safety Net provides services to survivors and their families who live, work or study in the London Borough of Camden.
24-hour National Domestic Violence Freephone Helpline
Website: nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk
Phone: 0808 2000 247
Run by Women's Aid and Refuge, this is a national service for women experiencing domestic violence, their family, friends, colleagues and others calling on their behalf. The helpline can give support, help and information over the telephone, wherever the caller might be in the country. It is staffed 24 hours a day by fully-trained female helpline support workers and volunteers. All calls are completely confidential. Translation facilities for callers whose first language is not English, and a service for callers who are deaf or hard of hearing are available.
Refuge
Website: refuge.org.uk
Phone: 020 7395 7700
Address: 4th Floor, International House, 1 St Katharine’s Way, London, E1W 1UN
Supporting those who have experienced violence and abuse is at the core of everything we do. No matter what your experience – domestic violence, sexual violence, ‘honour’ based violence, forced marriage, FGM, human trafficking or modern slavery – we are here to support you.
We run a range of specialist services to help survivors’ access safety and rebuild their lives. We understand each person’s circumstances and needs are different and that survivors need different services at different times. Our expert staff work closely, and confidentially, with every individual to develop a bespoke support plan. If a woman is not sure what service she wants or needs, Refuge will support her to explore her options.
Jewish Women’s Aid
Website: jwa.org.uk
Phone: 020 8445 8060
The only specialist organisation in the UK supporting Jewish women affected by domestic violence and abuse.
YUVA
Website: dvip.org/for-young-people
Phone number: 020 8741 8020 / 07501 722 609
Works with young people, aged 11 to 18, who have used violence and abuse towards their partners in an intimate relationship. The service also works with young people who have experienced abuse from their boy or girlfriend. The service has been developed by the Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP), with the aim of increasing safety and supporting healthier relationships for young people.
Bright Sky
Website: hestia.org/brightsky
Free-to-download mobile app providing support and information to anyone who may be in an abusive relationship or those concerned about someone they know.
The Survivors Trust
Website: thesurvivorstrust.org
Phone: 0808 801 0818
Address: Unit 2, Eastlands Court Business Centre, St Peter’s Road, Rugby, Warwickshire, CV21 3QP
A UK-wide national umbrella agency for 130 specialist organisations for support for the impact of rape, sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse throughout the UK and Ireland.
The Havens
Website: thehavens.org.uk
Phone number: 020 3299 6900
Address: 15-22 Caldecot Rd, Camberwell, London SE5 9RS
Specialist centres in London for people who have been raped or sexually assaulted.
London Rape Crisis
Website: rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/find-a-rape-crisis-centre
Phone number: 0808 802 9999
Support and services for women and girls, and information about support agencies for men.
Community disputes and safety
Community Safety Partnerships
Website: camden.gov.uk/community-safety1
Phone: 020 7974 4444
Manages crime and public safety issues. It makes sure agencies work together with communities to tackle crime and increase community safety which are important concerns for residents and businesses.
Community Safer Neighbourhood Board
Website: Camden Connected: Camden Safer Neighbourhood Board
Phone: 020 7383 0000 or 07973 920 598
A community-led charity that brings together the community, police and council with the aim of reducing crime and antisocial behaviour in Camden.
Neighbourhood Watch Network
Website: ourwatch.org.uk
Phone: 0116 402 6111
Our aim is to bring neighbours together to create strong, friendly, active communities where crime and antisocial behaviour are less likely to happen.
Youth safety
Website: camdenrise.co.uk/stay-safe
Drugs and Alcohol
Integrated Camden Alcohol Service - service for people aged 18 plus
Website: candi.nhs.uk/services/camden-specialist-alcohol-treatment-service-csats
Phone number: 020 3227 4950
Address: 7-8 Early Mews, Arlington Road, Camden Town, NW1 7HG
iCAS can offer you and your family and friends help and support with your alcohol concerns from a variety of locations, including medical centres, hostels, hospitals and meeting places in the community.
FWD - for young people
Website: camdenrise.co.uk/fwd
Phone number: 020 7974 4701
Basic info: FWD support young people across Camden who want to find out more about drug use, including alcohol. We work with young people aged 8 to 25 who are registered with a Camden GP, a resident in Camden or attend school in Camden. We also work with looked after young people placed with carers outside of the borough.
The Hive Camden
Website: catch-22.org.uk/services/the-hive
Phone: 020 3198 0521 Email: [email protected]
The Hive, 18 Harben Parade, Finchley Road, London, NW3 6JP
The Hive is a free health and wellbeing service that supports all young people aged 16 to 24 in Camden. We support young people with education, employment, housing, sexual health, substance misuse and health and wellbeing, including emotional and mental health.
Things to do
After-school and holiday play schemes
Website: camden.gov.uk/play
Play provision in Camden is run by community and voluntary organisations, which are funded by us to provide after-school clubs and holiday play schemes for children and young people aged four to 12. This provision includes specialist services for vulnerable children, young people and their families with varying needs.
Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme 2024
Places are free for children and young people aged 5 to 16 who live in Camden and are eligible for free school meals. Find out more and book places here.
Camden Summer University
Are you aged 13 to 19? Do you live in Camden, go to a Camden state school or attend a Camden Council youth centre? Then you can choose from more than 70 free courses in arts, media, fashion, sport, cookery, work and life skills with Camden Summer University.
Youth clubs
Website: camden.gov.uk/youth
Camden Council has three youth 'hubs' (or clubs) where young people aged 13 to 19 (25 if you have a learning disability) can access support, meet with other young people and get involved in a range of activities, including games, trips out, art, cooking, sports, volunteering, accredited (short qualification) courses and workshops. See also the Camden Rise website for more local youth, play and sports activities, as well as support and advice.
Camden Rise young people's website
Visit: camdenrise.co.uk/things-to-do
Sport and physical activity for children and young people
Visit: camden.gov.uk/children-young-people
Love Camden
Visit lovecamden.org to find free and low-cost activities near you.
Financial issues / debt
Cost of living - support and advice for residents in Camden
Check out our web pages dedicated to financial support and advice for Camden residents during the cost of living crisis here.
Christians Against Poverty
Website: capuk.org
Phone: 01274 760720
Address: Berkley Rd, Primrose Hill, London NW1 8YR
Helps over 21,500 people a year through their free debt help, job clubs, release groups, life skills groups and money courses.
Debt Advice Foundation
Website: debtadvicefoundation.org
Phone: 0800 043 40 50
National debt advice and education charity offering free, confidential support and advice to anyone worried about loans, credit and debt.
Mary Ward Legal Centre
Website: marywardlegal.org.uk/legal-advice/debt-advice
To book an appointment, call our debt line on 020 7269 0292, Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm (closed between 1pm and 2pm for lunch)
Address: Mary Ward Legal Centre, 10 Great Turnstile, London, WC1V 7JU
Advice on all personal debt issues, including rent and mortgage arrears, service charge arrears and forfeiture proceedings, council tax arrears, benefits overpayments, credit card debts, bankruptcy and Debt Relief Orders, unpaid gas and electricity bills.
National Debtline
Website: nationaldebtline.org
Phone: 0808 808 4000 - Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm and Saturday, 9.30am to 1pm
Debt advice charity run by the Money Advice Trust. Free and confidential debt advice service for people in England, Wales and Scotland.
The website has guides, fact sheets, budgeting tools and sample letters to help you write to your creditors. You can also get debt advice by using our webchat service, emailing us or by calling our helpline.
Legal
Child Law Advice (Online Support)
Website: childlawadvice.org.uk
Phone: 0300 330 5480
Provides legal advice and information on family, child and education law affecting children and families in England. This service is provided via this website packed with how to guides and information pages.
Mary Ward Legal Centre
Website: marywardlegal.org.uk
Phone: 020 7831 7079
Address: Mary Ward Legal Centre10 Great Turnstile London WC1V 7JU
Provides free, independent advice to people who live and work in London to help them access their legal rights and entitlements.
Camden Community Law Centre
Website: cclc.org.uk
Phone: 020 7284 6510
Address: Camden Community Law Centre, 2 Prince of Wales Road, London NW5 3LQ
Free and independent legal advice and representation to people living, working and studying in the London Borough of Camden.
LGBTQ+
Mermaids
Website: mermaidsuk.org.uk
Phone: 0808 801 0400
Mermaids is passionate about supporting children, young people, and their families to achieve a happier life in the face of great adversity. We work to raise awareness about gender non-conformity in children and young people among professionals and the general public.
Imaan
Website: imaanlondon.wordpress.com
Address: 159 Mile End Road, London, E1 4AQ
Imaan is a support group for LGBT Muslims, providing a safe space to share experiences, factsheets and links to relevant services.
Gendered Intelligence
Website: genderedintelligence.co.uk
Phone: 0330 355 9678
Address: VAI, 200a Pentonville Road, London N1 9JP
We work with the trans community and those who impact on trans lives. We particularly specialise in supporting young trans people under the age of 21. We deliver trans youth programmes, support for parents and carers, professional development and trans awareness training for all sectors and educational workshops for schools, colleges, universities and other educational settings.
Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre
Website: mosaicyouth.org.uk
Phone: 0300 800 5428
Address: The address is only shared to prospective members for safety reasons
Mosaic LGBT Youth Centre supports, educates and inspires the young lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans community of London, aged 13 to 19. We run young-person focused services that are designed in full co-operation with our members. If you have an idea for a project or a programme, please get in touch with us.
Housing
Shelter UK
Website: england.shelter.org.uk
Phone: 0808 800 4444
Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. And we campaign to make sure that, one day, no one will have to turn to us for help.
New Horizon Youth Centre
Website: nhyouthcentre.org.uk
Phone: 020 7388 5560
Address: 68 Chalton Street London, NW1 1JR
New Horizon Youth Centre has been supporting vulnerable and homeless youth since 1967.
Camden Floating Support
Website: camden.gov.uk/camden-floating-support-service
Phone: 020 7974 5366
Supports vulnerable adults and families who need extra help to sustain a tenancy and achieve independence. The service is available to all residents living in any type of accommodation in the London Borough of Camden.
Single Homeless Project (SHP)
Website: shp.org.uk
Phone: 020 4509 8300
Address: SHP, 245 Gray’s Inn Road, London, WC1X 8QY
A London-wide charity working to prevent homelessness and help vulnerable and socially-excluded people to transform their lives.
Internet Safety
Internet Matters
Website: internetmatters.org
Whatever their age, we can help you to find out more about what your children might be doing online and give you some simple, practical and easy advice on the steps you can take as a parent to keep them as safe as possible.
Think U Know
Website: thinkuknow.co.uk
This is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.
Special educational needs and disabilities
SENDIASS Camden
Website: sendiasscamden.co.uk
Phone: 020 7974 6264 Email: [email protected]
Address: Kentish Town Community Centre, 17 Busby Place, London, NW5 2SP
Aims to help parents/carers, children and young people and professional staff to work together to provide the best possible support to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Camden Special Parents Forum
Online: facebook.com/CamdenSpecialParentsForum or kids.org.uk/camden-special-parents-forum1
Phone: Text or call Maria on 07826 671 523 or call the KIDS office on 020 7431 8476 and ask for Rachel or Maria
The forum is open to all parents and carers in Camden with a child/young person with special needs and disability. We meet twice a term to talk about local issues that are important to families. Meetings are warm, friendly and informal but we do try and get lots done! We usually have lively discussions and try to make sure we have different people involved. It is a chance to be involved, informed and participate in things that will affect you and your family. We run workshops and training opportunities such as creative writing and wellbeing workshops, how to write a good plan and person-centred planning, adolescent therapy group, ASD and transition forums.
Camden's SEND Local Offer
Every local authority has to publish information in one place which sets out the support that is available for children and young people from birth to 25 years who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This is called the Local Offer. Visit Camden's Local Offer website.
Parental conflict / separation
Child Law Advice (Online Support)
Website: childlawadvice.org.uk
Phone: 0300 330 5480
Provides legal advice and information on family, child and education law affecting children and families in England. This service is provided via this website, which is packed with 'how to' guides and information pages.
National Family Mediation
Website: nfm.org.uk
Phone: 0300 4000 636
We help families in conflict, especially those divorcing or separating. With over 30 years’ experience providing expert, professional services, National Family Mediation works in over 500 locations across England and Wales. Family mediation is quicker and more cost-effective than heading to court. It reduces conflict, and you stay in control of arrangements over children, property and finance.
Family group conference
Website: camden.gov.uk/fgc
Phone: 020 7974 1051
As members of a family, we all can find ourselves having things to sort out, or be at points in time when decisions need to be made. Whether we are in difficult times, struggling to manage our children or needing support with making plans for our children, a family group conference (FGC) can be a useful option. An FGC is free and is an independent meeting, organised for you with the family and friends you want to have there. It is a chance for you to take time out from busy family life, to help come up with solutions and a plan to deal with whatever is going on.
Puberty, sex and relationships
The Brandon Centre
Website: brandon-centre.org.uk/contraception
Phone: 020 7267 4792
Address: 26 Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town, London, NW5 3LG
The Brandon Centre provides free and confidential contraception and sexual health services to young women and men aged 12 to 24. Young people come to us to get advice and information about safe sex, pregnancy, sexually-transmitted infections or their sexual and emotional relationships.
We are happy to see young people who haven’t started to have sex yet, but who may still have worries and concerns. We supply a wide range of contraception, and can do tests and give treatment for common sexually-transmitted infections. Our doctors and nurses have special training in sexual health and contraception. However, you don’t always need to see a doctor or nurse - you can just drop into the centre to pick up free condoms or to talk to our specialist team in reception.
Family Planning Association
Website: fpa.org.uk
We champion people’s right to sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing. We do this through education, information, advocacy and campaigning so that we can achieve a society where everyone can make positive choices about their own sexual health and wellbeing.
Team Clinic Young Persons HIV Service
Website: shl.uk/clinic/mortimer-market-centre
Phone number: To book an appointment call 020 3317 5100 or text the TEAM phone on 07747 795276 or email [email protected]
Address: 1st Floor Mortimer Market, Capper Street, London, WC1E 6AU
Provides specialist care and support for HIV positive young people in a 'teenage friendly environment', including support and information following HIV diagnosis, one-to-one counselling, hepatitis testing and vaccinations, sexual health screening, contraceptive advice and free condoms. The multidisciplinary team includes doctors, health advisors, a psychologist and a dedicated transition team.
Brook
Website: brook.org.uk
Phone number: 020 7387 8700 or 0808 802 1234 (Helpline)
Address: 92-94 Chalton Street, London, NW1 1HJ
Free and confidential sexual health services for young people under 25, including contraception, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, abortion referral, counselling and testing / treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
Camden and Islington Young People's Sexual Health Network
The Camish Network provides free and confidential sexual health services for young people aged under 25. Visit brook.org.uk/camish
Camden Rise young people's website
Visit: camdenrise.co.uk/body-talk
Victims of crime
Rights of Women
Website: rightsofwomen.org.uk
Phone number: 020 7608 1137 (Monday to Thursday 2-4pm, plus 10am-12pm on Mondays and Thursdays only). Email: [email protected]
Free confidential legal advice for women in London and their advisers.
Victim Support
Website: victimsupport.org.uk
Phone: 0808 1689 111
Address: Whitecross Studios, 2nd Floor, 50 Banner Street, London, EC1Y 8ST
As an independent charity, we work towards a world where people affected by crime or traumatic events get the support they need and the respect they deserve. We help people feel safer and find the strength to move beyond crime. Our support is free, confidential and tailored to your needs.
Crown Prosecution Service
Website: cps.gov.uk/victims-witnesses
Being a victim or a witness to a crime can often be difficult and you may not know very much about the criminal justice system. We will treat all victims and witnesses with respect and understanding throughout the justice process.