Youth Mental Health Signposting Tool
What is it?
The youth mental health signposting tool aims to provide young people, parents, caregivers, and those working with young people, with reliable up to date information on where to access supports and services at both a local and national level for a variety of mental health issues.
To use it, simply select the issue affecting your mental health or the mental health of the young person you are supporting and the area in which you live.
Services
You can narrow your search by choosing a region, a service offered, or both.
Youth Advocate Programme Ireland- Dublin (YAP)
The Youth Advocate Programme (YAP) provide intensive, needs-led, wraparound, focused support to children, young people and families who are struggling with a range of issues in their lives. YAP Ireland matches community-based advocates with those referred, leading to more positive engagement and outcomes. The organisation has a disability and mental health intensive support service that provides a 12-month programme to young people aged 8 – 18 years and their families who require support in achieving their goals. The Independent Advocacy Service is provided to Child and Adolescent Mental Health services and adolescent in-patient units. A Crisis Intervention service is also available for young people at particular risk. YAP is a nationwide service and has a regional office in Dublin City.
Youth and Education Service (YES) for Refugees and Migrants
YES works with young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds – in particular with unaccompanied minors. They offer a range of education and youth work activities that complement formal education provision and nonformal youth work practice. The Service’s programmes and interventions aim to support young people to realise their full potential, to negotiate and navigate their environment and life in Ireland and to live independent and healthy lives. The programmes include: Lifeskills sessions as part of the Migrant Access Programme, Study Buddy Programme, Evening groups, Individual outreach work, Cultural and recreation activities and residential trips.
Youth Health Service Cork
The Youth Health Service is a free HSE sexual health service for young people aged 23 years and under (First year in Secondary School-entry Point).
Established in 2004, the YHS provides health information, support and services for young people based on their needs and using referral pathways to other services where required. Parental consent is required for those under 17 years; staff will support the young person in getting parental consent if needed.
The YHS provides a broad range of services, including:
General advice & support in relation to Sexual Health
STI screening/clinic
Contraceptive clinic
Unplanned pregnancy support and counselling
Post-abortion medical checks & counselling
One-to-one youth work support
Drug and alcohol support & counselling
Counselling for sexual health issues, sexuality, relationships, and other related concerns to support young people’s mental health and well-being.
Youth New Ross
Youth New Ross (YNR) was founded for the benefit
of young people, and their families in New Ross
and the surrounding area. YNR has
grown and continues to be led by local people
working for the community, providing a range
of youth and family services in partnership with
other services and with the support of volunteers.
Their youth project offers a range of activities and
supports including mental health programmes and
one-to-one support.
Youth Work Ireland
General counselling and pyschotherapy for young people between the ages of 12 to 25. It is free and confidential.
Youth Work Ireland
General counselling and pyschotherapy for young people between the ages of 12 to 25. It is free and confidential.
Youth Work Ireland Cavan/Monaghan
The purpose of Youth Work Ireland Cavan Monaghan is to support youth development through an informal education process enabling young people to build better local communities. This is done by providing a community-based response to young people’s needs by offering them the opportunity to contribute to and participate in social education, artistic and recreational activities. Young people between the ages of 10-24years can participate in the services.
Youth Work Ireland Cork
Youthwork Ireland (YWI) Cork is a youth service based in the Gurranabraher/Churchfield area of Cork City. YWI Cork aims to provide a community-based response to young people’s needs by offering them the opportunity to contribute to and participate in social education, artistic and recreational activities. Since 2021 YWI Cork has been under the management of Cloyne Diocesan Youth service and offers a range of personal and social development programmes for young people in the area.
Youth Work Ireland Galway
Youth Work Ireland Galway Youth Counselling Service.
Youth Work Ireland Galway provides a youth counselling service to young people in Galway City and County. The free and confidential service offers counselling and support to young people 12-21yrs. Fully qualified and accredited adolescent therapists offer support, guidance and information in 8 locations in a friendly and safe environment and will work with young people to help them through difficulties they are experiencing. For more information please contact Aisling Dermody 0860247763 or email counselling@youthworkgalway.ie
Youth Work Ireland Galway Under18 Drug/Alcohol Addiction Counselling Accredited Addiction Counsellors based in Galway City, Count Galway and Roscommon provide assessment, counselling and support to adolescents and young people under 18 years of age. Youth Work Ireland Galway provides this service in collaboration with the Community Healthcare West Drugs Service. For more information please call 091 561637
Nationwide Services
AsIAm
AsIAm is Irelands autism charity. They offer a rang of supports and resources for young people with autism and their family/carers on their website. They also offer an autism information line each Monday to Thursday 10 am to 3 pm @ 0818 234 234, email support can also be accessed at support@asiam.ie. They also offer talks, training and programmes to upskill professionals working with young people with autism.
Aware
Aware are the national organisation providing free support, education and information services to people impacted by anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and related mood conditions. Aware provide support, information and training, online and in person, to people over 18 years who are experiencing depression, anxiety and related conditions.
They run a Freephone HELPLINE seven days a week 10am – 10 pm, the number is 1800 80 48 48.
Access online support on supportmail@aware.ie, which provides a next-day response (Monday- Friday). For people with someone in their life experiencing depression or bipolar disorder, their Relatives Education Programme can be booked on their website
Barnardos
Barnardos mission is to deliver services and work with families, communities, and partners to transform the lives of vulnerable children who are affected by adverse childhood experiences. The organisation offers a wide range of supports and programmes to children and young people aged 0–18, through services and projects throughout the country. Barnardos has a range of services available to young people and families nationally, details of their centres can be accessed here https://www.barnardos.ie/about-us/find-a-service/
BeLong To
BeLonG To is the national organisation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) young people aged 14-24 years. BeLong To support services for young LGBTQ+ people include an informal one-on-one chat service, professional counselling and a drug and alcohol support service
For details of a support group near you, check https://www.belongto.org/find-a-youth-group/
They also provide counselling in their Dublin centre (Parliament Street) for LGBT young people with suicide ideation or self-harm issues. To set up an appointment, contact Pieta House Ballyfermot on 01- 6235606. Under 18 must have a guardian’s consent.
BeLong To also delivers training to youth workers and teachers to prepare them for StandUp week, which includes giving them the confidence to tackle homophobic and transphobic bullying as well as giving them an insight into LGBT youth priority needs in relation to support.
BodyWhys
Founded in 1995, BodyWhys – The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland, PO Box 105, Blackrock, Dublin, Nationwide – is the national voluntary organisation supporting people affected by eating disorders and their families. BodyWhys provides a range of non-judgemental listening, information and support services, professional training, literature, podcasts and webinars. Other aspects of the organisation’s work include developing professional resources and collaborating with social media companies to respond to harmful online content and working with the mainstream media to create awareness about eating disorders. BodyWhys develops evidence-based programmes to promote positive body image and social media literacy in children and adolescents, as well as school talks and educational resources. BodyWhys is the support partner to the HSE’s National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders (NCP-ED), which delivers specialist public eating disorder services in the Republic of Ireland.
Some of the supports offered by BodyWhys include:
Helpline: 01 – 2107906
Email Support: alex@bodywhys.ie
Websites: www.bodywhys.ie and www.bodywhysbodyimage.ie
Online Support Groups: Youth Connect: 13 – 18 years (chat based)
Bodywhys Connect: 18+ years (chat based)
Virtual Support Group: 18+ years (video based)
See My Self – online psycho-education programme (15-24-year-olds)
CARI
CARI (Children at Risk in Ireland) provides child-centred therapy for children and adolescents affected by sexual abuse. CARI also provides therapy to children up to 12 years of age who present with sexually harmful behaviour.
Lo-call HELPLINE 0818 925 567 for professionals and parents seeking advice on support and counselling for children who have been sexually abused. Child & Adolescent Therapy is also available on a sliding scale cost, depending on people’s circumstances.
CARI have bases in Limerick, Dublin and Wexford, details for each centre can be found on their website.
Drugs and Alcohol Information and Support
Drugs.ie is managed by the HSE National Social Inclusion Office
They are responsible for providing services connected to a range of issues and vulnerable groups.
These include:
Addiction;
Homelessness;
Intercultural health (including asylum seekers, refugees and migrants);
Irish Travellers and Roma;
LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender);
HIV and AIDS;
Community development; and
Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence
Freephone HELPLINE (10am-5pm Mon – Fri) and online live chat to anyone in relation to drugs and alcohol misuse/abuse. Confidential and free.
Enable Ireland
Enable Ireland provides services to children and adults with disabilities and their families from over 40 locations in 14 counties, details of these serices can be found here https://enableireland.ie/services Covering childhood to adulthood their expert teams work with the individual and their family on a plan for each life stage.
EPIC – Empowering People In Care
EPIC work with young people who are in care (Foster Care, Relative Care, Residential Care, High Support, Special Care, Children Detention Schools, preparing to leave care, aftercare and those with care experience).
They have centre in Dublin, Cork and Limerick- the contact details for each can be found here https://www.epiconline.ie/contact-us/
The development of the YMHS tool
In 2015, the NYHP recognised the need to capture the voice of the sector in more depth through a rapid mental health needs assessment. One of the key findings from the Mental Health Needs Assessment was the need to support organisations, practitioners, and young people to access appropriate services. The Youth Mental Health Signposting tool was developed in response to this need.
The tool was revamped in 2024 to meet the emerging needs being communicated to the NYHP by Youth Workers and other professionals through consultation and engagement in the programme’s training and workshops.
We endeavour to keep this tool up to date. However, we are aware that new services and initiatives are being developed and launched all the time.
If you have a new service or an existing one not currently on the tool that you believe should be included, please add your information below.
Many thanks
The National Youth Health Programme would like to acknowledge the time, input and resources provided by a range of organsiations which contributed to the development of Youth Mental Health Signposting tool.
Disclaimer
The content of Youth Mental Health Signposting is provided for information purposes only. The National Youth Council of Ireland is not responsible for any interaction or outcomes between a client and a service provider listed. The NYCI does not endorse any professional or programme included in it map.