Helplines for SEND families in Bedford Borough

The ‘Bedfordshire and Luton Children’s Community Health Hub’ is the new name for our Single Point of Access (SPA) service and we will be eventually bringing together our children’s services under one new email address and one contact number across Luton and Bedfordshire.

Which services are included?

The Health HUB will bring together calls and emails for the following teams (as indicated):

• Bedfordshire and Luton 0-19 Teams: Health Visiting and School Nursing (calls and emails)
• Audiology including Newborn Hearing (calls and emails)
• Eye Service (calls and emails)
• Bedfordshire and Luton Children in Care Services (calls only)
• Beds Community Paediatrics Service (calls only)
• Beds and Luton Speech and Language Services (calls only)

Our trained Hub administrators will be at the end of the phone to help and advise, and to signpost to the correct services.

Click here for our document on the Health HUB key facts

Closed 

Christmas Boxing and New Year Day and weekends 

0800 023 2057, For more info click here

CLOSED 

Christmas Boxing and New Year Day and weekends. 

https://localoffer.bedford.gov.uk/

We support carers of all ages over the phone, through face-to-face contact, support groups and workshops. Our services include experienced carer support workers, counselling, wellbeing sessions, coping with hospital, grants and information such as the Carers magazine. Our memory navigation service is for people living with memory loss and dementia, and their carers.

We work closely with local and national agencies and can signpost carers to specialised sources of support.

Contact details 

Email: contact@carersinbeds.org.uk
Tel: 0300 111 1919

CLOSED 

Christmas Day, Boxking Day and New Years Day and weekends.

A text service for 11-19 year olds in Bedfordshire - 07507 331450 for more info click here

CLOSED 

Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year Day and weekends.

We also accept self-referrals

From April 2020, young people or parents/carers who live in Bedford will be able to self-refer to their CAMHS service. Please our complete online self referral form.
The team will screen all referrals for risk and need. For any referrals that we are unable to accept during these challenging times, support will be provided in the form of psychoeducation and self-help.

CLOSED 

Christmas Boxing and New Year Day and weekends.

Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Service supporting Children, Young People and their families, with other services specifically supporting adults; Babyloss Bereavement Service and Bedfordshire Suicide Bereavement Service.

PLEASE NOTE : CHUMS is not an urgent mental health response service.

If you, a child, or young person are at immediate risk to themselves or others, please contact your GP or local A&E. Alternatively, you can call NHS 111 – Option 2 for Mental Health Crisis Support – available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Phone: 01525 863924
Email: info@chums.uk.com

Opening Hours: 9am to 5pm closed Christmas, Boxing and New Year Day and weekends.

The IFD brings together the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) and Early Help Hub in one place to facilitate early, better quality information sharing, analysis and decision-making to safeguard children, young people and families more effectively.

The Early Help Hub focuses on partnership working with agencies to provide children, young people and families with early help assessments and intervention to ensure families are able to access services and support at the right time.

How to contact the Integrated Front Door

If your concern is of an immediate safeguarding nature then please contact the Integrated Front Door on 01234 718700 during office hours (8.45am to 5.20pm, Monday to Thursday; 8.45am to 4.20pm on a Friday) or out of office hours please call the Emergency Duty Team (EDT) on 0300 300 8123.

Mind BLMK provides a mental health crisis café in Bedford for the Trust. The café provides support and a safe place for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. It offers free help and advice for anyone 18 or older.

Anyone can call into the Crisis Café service, you don't need to arrange an appointment. 

The café is run by friendly coordinators, recovery workers, peer support workers (PSWs) and volunteers trained to offer coping mechanisms and management techniques to help people work through their crisis.

The teams will also be able to refer and direct people to further services if required.

Opening Times 

The café is at Florence Ball House on Bedford Health Village, Kimbolton Road and is open from 5-11pm every day of the week, 365 days of the year.

is a secure and confidential text service for parents and carers of those aged 0-19. It offers advice and support on a range of issues such as weaning, sleep and emotional health or how to make an appointment with our team. This is also a great mechanism to find out how to access other local services.

Simply text 07507 331456 with your question to start the conversation – our team will be there to answer your queries from 9am to 4.30pm,  For more info click here 

CLOSED 

Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and weekends.

Mind BLMK are delighted to be working collaboratively with CAMHS and East London Foundation Trust (ELFT)in  Bedford, to provide crisis services for young people in need of mental health support. 

Our Young Person’s Sanctuaries for teenagers aged 14-17 are safe, non-judgemental drop-in’s that you can come to if you find yourself in crisis or mental distress in the evenings. You will be met by a trained youth mental health worker who will listen and help you identify ways to address the problems you are facing.

Who are the Young Person’s Sanctuaries for?

• Young people (14-17yrs) who are experiencing mental distress or crisis as well as those looking for a safe space to access some support.  No one will ever be turned away.
• Young people are welcome to bring anyone from their support system.
• Young people do not need to be known to mental health services to attend. Young people can still attend even if they are currently receiving support from CAMHs.

What can you expect?

• A safe, non-judgemental, and relaxed space.
• A confidential one-to-one session with a trained mental health worker.  During your first session, a youth mental health worker will explain the confidentiality policy to you.  In the instance where we may need to share certain information with a third party pertaining to a potential risk, we will have a discussion with you first.
• Support to identify coping mechanisms and building emotional resilience.
• A step-by-step tailored guide on how to access support and keep safe.  

Do you need an appointment?

Each Young Person Sanctuary is now operating a drop-in service and an appointment is not required.

Where is the Bedford Young Person Sanctuary’s based?

• 5-7 Rush Court, Bedford, MK40 3JT

What are the opening times?

The Bedford Young Person’s Sanctuary will be open 7 days a week.

• Monday – Friday; 5pm – 10pm
• Saturday – Sunday; 4pm – 10pm

Questions about the service?

If you would like further information about our Young Person’s Sanctuary, please email us on: YPS@mind-blmk.org.uk  (contactable from 4pm).

Please note: This is for enquiries only as referrals are not necessary. Please also be advised that we cannot offer crisis support over the phone during these hours.

Here's everything you need to know:  

What is REFLECT?

REFLECT is a free, confidential and 24/7 text support service for young people  who need advice or help. It's delivered by trained volunteers and clinicians who are available around the clock to listen and support anyone who is feeling anxious, lonely, overwhelmed or not quite themselves. It is part of the wider network of Shout services across the UK.

How does REFLECT work?

To start a conversation:

• Text (please don’t WhatsApp!) the word reflect (upper or lower case) to 85258.
• The service is free and anonymous.
• It does not show up on phone bills.

After sending the first message, you'll receive four automated text messages before being connected to a trained volunteer. They aim to connect young people in greatest need within five minutes all others in 30 mins. At busy times it can take longer.

Contact a Samaritan

If you need someone to talk to, we listen. We won't judge or tell you what to do

A volunteer will answer

If you phone us, we will answer with something like "Samaritans, can I help you?"

You talk, we listen

We listen to you and help you talk through your concerns, worries and troubles.

We give you space to be yourself

We'll focus on your thoughts and feelings, and may ask questions to help you explore how you feel.

We won't tell you what you should do

We won't make decisions for you, our advice or opinions are not important for the call.

On the phone

This number is free to call from both landlines and mobiles, including pay-as-you-go mobiles. You do not need to have any credit or call allowance on your plan to call 116 123.

Via email

Emailing us on jo@samaritans.org is free.

Opening times 

Call us free, day or night, 365 days a year

If you are a young person struggling to cope, Shout can provide 24/7 text support. For help, text SHOUT to 85258. Whatever you are going through, if it matters to you, it matters to us.