Digital Mental Health Platform for Young People Launched
Kooth providing free support in Ealing and Hounslow Boroughs
Kooth has seen a big rise in demand for support from young people
June 2, 2021
The NHS in North West London has commissioned Kooth, a digital mental health platform to offer children and young people, aged between 11 and 25, access to free, anonymous mental health support.
The service will be available in Ealing and Hounslow from 1 June 2for an initial period of 24 months.
Kooth provides a safe and confidential means for young people to access online support from a team of qualified counsellors. The service, which is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), can be accessed using a computer, smartphone or tablet device.
Users will be able to receive one-on-one, anonymous counselling sessions with fully trained and qualified counsellors and emotional wellbeing practitioners, 365 days a year.
Full press release below - please let me know if you have any questions or would like to speak to Dr Lynne Green, Chief Clinical Officer at Kooth plc.
Kooth has seen a 42% increase in demand for digital mental support from children and young people across the UK due to COVID-19. Under-18s presenting with suicidal thoughts have increased by 39% and 27% for self-ham.
Kooth can provide peer-to-peer support for users via pre-moderated discussions and 24/7 access to curated self-help content, including a magazine with wellbeing articles, personal experiences and tips from other young adults and the Kooth team.
Young people can also drop-in or book live online ‘chats’ with experienced counsellors. The sessions are available 365 days a year, from midday until 10pm on weekdays and from 6pm until 10pm at the weekend and bank holidays.
Access is free of the typical barriers to support: no waiting lists, no thresholds, no cost and complete anonymity. The digital setting also helps to reduce the stigma traditionally associated with accessing mental health services.
Ross Graves on behalf of the North West London Mental Health Collaborative - a coalition of clinicians, health professionals and commissioners working across North West London says, “Kooth are a great partner who will make a difference, helping young people find the support they need more speedily. It’s also great to see all NHS organisations working together to provide a single service across the whole North West London; let’s do more!”
Dr Lynne Green, Chief Clinical Officer at Kooth PLC adds, “Digital mental health services such as Kooth offer young people quick and easy support for their emotional health without the usual waiting lists. This can reduce the need for specialist intervention services as the problem is treated when it first occurs, and prevents it from escalating further. Kooth offers children and young people flexible, accessible support at a time and place most convenient to them.”
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