Want To Talk?

 

Is something worrying you? If something makes you feel unsafe or unhappy, there are lots of people who will listen to you and try to help.

 

Help and advice

If you know an adult you can trust, someone like a school teacher or guardian, you can tell them that you are unhappy and explain what is worrying you. They will be able to help you. If you don’t feel that you can talk to anyone you know, there is advice here to help you find the right person to share your worries with.

Below is a selection of great places you can turn for support and guidance, but you can find our full range of help and advice pages here.

 

To do this quickly and easily, download the Mind of My Own app. This will get messages to social workers and other staff very quickly. Devon County Council is signed up for this.

 

ChildLine-logo

ChildLine can help you get help and advice about a wide range of issues. You can talk to a counsellor online, send ChildLine an email or post on their message board. You can contact ChildLine via email, or call them anytime on 0800 1111 – all calls are free and confidential.

 

frank-logo

Frank is a website that helps you find out everything you might want to know about drugs (and some stuff you don’t). You can talk to Frank on 0300 123 6600, or email Frank here.

 

The Think U Know logoThinkuknow will give you information about websites and internet safety, what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it. There’s also a place where you can report things you feel uncomfortable with or if you are worried about someone you are chatting to online. All the information here is brought to you by the team at the NCA’s CEOP Command.

 

NSPCC logoThe NSPCC is a charity that works to keep children and young people safe. Call 0808 800 5000 if you are worried about your own safety or someone else’s. You can contact them for advice and support. They can take action if a child is in danger. If you or someone else is in immediate danger call the Police 999.

 

Catch 22 logo

 

Catch 22 has a 24-hour confidential helpline you can call which gives advice and support to young people who have run away. Call 0800 168 9698.

 

 

Youth centres

You might also want to contact your local youth centre. If you do, here are the contact details for youth hub senior youth workers at youth centres across Devon.

 

If you can’t find what you’re looking for or would like some advice straight away, you can call 0345 155 1071 or you can contact Devon’s Safeguarding Children Board here.

 

Make a complaint

Sometimes, the only way to get your voice heard is to make a complaint! If you feel that the services you have received are not what you expected, you have the right to do this. Have your say with Devon County Council in a safe space. We’ll make sure your complaint is taken seriously and dealt with sensitively. Plus, what you tell us could really help someone else in the future.

The best thing to do in the first instance is to download the Mind of My Own app, and use it to raise your concerns. All comments from the app go to the participation team, and we ensure that your comments and complaints can be dealt with promptly.

If you’re still unhappy, you can make a complaint directly to Children’s Services here. You have a legal right to have your complaint taken seriously; so the team, who are very friendly, will help you to get things sorted.

And if you do need to make a complaint, you are entitled to help from an advocate. More information about advocates and how to get one is available here.

Alternatively, you might also want to tell us when something is really good! In the same way as making a complaint, please use the contact details provided to say when things have gone well for you or a particular worker has done something that worked out great for you.

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