Young People
Click below the DfE guide for young people;
The following leaflets have been produced for young people explaining changes to the special educational needs and disability support system. Topics covered are:
- making decisions about your support
- the local offer
- education, health and care (EHC) plans
- post-16 options for support
These can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sen-and-disability-support-changes-information-for-young-people along with a series of five related video clips featuring young people with special educational needs and disabilities explaining the changes and what they mean for them.
SHOOTERS HILL SIXTH FORM COLLEGE
Shooter Hill Sixth Form College provide a safe, challenging and great environment for young people.
https://www.shootershill.ac.uk/inclusivelearning
RIVERSTON SIXTH FORM
Riverston Sixth Form is our offering for students of 16 years and beyond. Our aim is to offer an appropriate mix of courses and programmes that can best meet the needs of our students, and will allow them to achieve success, realise their ambitions and to progress further, whether that be on to further study, into employment, or through developing a range of life skills which furthers their independence, confidence and self-belief.
https://www.riverstonschool.co.uk/Admissions/Riverston-16-Plus/
JOHN RUSKIN COLLEGE – CROYDON
John Ruskin College promotes equality of opportunity for all students
https://www.johnruskin.ac.uk/student-support/additional-learning-support/
ST FRANCIS XAVIER SIXTH FORM COLLEGE – Balham – Borough of Wandsworth
If you have a disability including a sensory impairment or a learning difficulty for example – Dyslexia or Asperger’s Syndrome – please be assured that you will receive tailor-made support from trained specialists who receive continuous updates in their training.
https://www.sfx.ac.uk/students/guidance-support/additional-learning-support/
POST 16 OPTIONS IN LEWISHAM
Lewisham Virtual School has collated information on colleges in Lewisham.
https://lewishamvirtualschool.org.uk/Post-16-options-v4.pdf
NASH COLLEGE
Livability Nash College is an independent specialist further education college for disabled people aged 19-25.
LEWISHAM SOUTHWARK COLLEGE
Lewisham Southwark College is a college of further education, based at three sites in Lewisham, Deptford, and Southwark.
https://www.lscollege.ac.uk/special-educational-needs
BROMLEY COLLEGE
London South East Colleges provides education and training for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Lewisham Works Young Futures
Lewisham Works Young Futures service can offer support with your next step. This could be education, training, employment, apprenticeships and careers advice. The service is for Lewisham residents aged 18-24 who are not in work and provides a personalised one-to-one specialist information, advice and guidance, providing access to training, job and other development opportunities. Young Futures also publishes a weekly Jobs and Opportunities Bulletin email with a range of local opportunities available. To register: or email youngfutures@lewisham.gov.uk
There is a sister service for 25+ residents: contact JobsandSkills@lewisham.gov.uk , and a service for 16 – 18 year olds : contact baseline@lewisham.gov.uk or drop in to Unit 19 Lewisham Shopping Centre, opposite H&M rear entrance.
Internships
– Building People, Changing Minds (BPCM) is a pilot project aimed at placing adults with learning disabilities, mental ill health and people seeking sanctuary into voluntary work placements. The project is a partnership between Lewisham Local, Lewisham Speaking Up and Lewisham Refugee and Migrant Network, and co-produced by people with lived experience.
BPCM coordinate four month long voluntary work placements which will see the participant’s workplace confidence, self-esteem and capacity to self-advocate grow. Placements can be any number of hours per day and days per week from part time to full time.
https://www.lewishamlocal.com/bpcm/
– Government funded supported internships are a structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds with SEND, who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The core aim of a supported internship study programme is a substantial work placement, facilitated by the support of an expert job coach.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supported-internships
Supported interns (or their learning provider on their behalf) can get an application form for supported internships by calling the Access to Work helpline number on 0800 121 7479.
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Our vision is a world where children and families are supported effectively to build on their strengths and to achieve their goals in life.
https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/
https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/self-care/
NHS MeeTwo
The MeeTwo app provides a safe and secure forum for teenagers wanting to discuss any issue affecting their lives.
https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/meetwo/
South London and Maudsley Resources for Young People
We support children, young people and their parents or carers in Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Croydon. We also operate specialist outpatient and inpatient services that are available to people living in London, and across the UK.
https://www.slam.nhs.uk/our-services/camhs/young-people/resources/
Young Minds
Leading the fight for a future where all young minds are supported and empowered, whatever the challenges.
Kooth
The Kooth team are here to provide free, safe and anonymous online support and counselling. The whole team are made up of friendly and experienced individuals who want to help you.
Qwell
NHS South East London CCG has commissioned Qwell, a free, anonymous online counselling and emotional wellbeing service for adults from digital mental health pioneers Kooth. The site is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and offers early preventative care and support.
Resources from Lewisham Speaking Up
Report of the Lewisham People’s Parliament May 18th 2021 – Mental Health Day
Introduction to Mental Health Day
Anxiety Workshop Handouts
https://lewishamparentcarer.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Anxiety-Workshop-Handouts.pdf
Low Mood Workshop Handout
https://lewishamparentcarer.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LSUP-Low-Mood-Workshop-handout-v3.pdf
Help with Mental Health
https://lewishamparentcarer.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LSUP-Where-can-I-get-help-v2.pdf
Strengthening London communities through early mental health support
Strengthening London communities through early mental health support
Lewisham’s vision is to enable young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) to live, learn and work within their local community, achieve sustained progression, resulting in better life outcomes.
Support for young people to achieve their goals.
Information from Lewisham Speaking Up
Hate Crime Awareness Presentation
Local organisations – from councils and charities to youth services – are at the heart of supporting young people’s wellbeing. Yet across communities, challenges are growing:
- Rising levels of anxiety, loneliness, and low self-esteem among young people
- Increased safeguarding concerns as families struggle to access timely support
- Strain on local services and resources, with more young people in need than capacity allows
- Gaps between early need and specialist provision, leaving too many to cope alone
Prevention is key. Offering early, accessible support reduces the risk of crisis, strengthens resilience in communities, and eases pressure on already stretched local services.
That’s where Kooth can help.
- Free, safe, and anonymous mental health support for ages 10+ across the UK
- Immediate access – no referral, no waiting list
- 24/7 resources including self-help articles, journals, and moderated peer support
- Qualified practitioners available daily, giving young people professional help before things escalate
- Community-wide impact, supporting population health and reducing pressure on schools, health, and social services
By ensuring every young person can access support, we can build stronger, healthier communities – and free up capacity for local organisations to focus where they are needed most.
Share Kooth with the young people and families you support, and help them find safe, trusted help when they need it.
London Football Association
We’re excited to partner with the London FA to support young people struggling with their mental health, on or off the pitch. Reaching out to Kooth offers them vital connection and help. The London FA’s dedication to empowering children and young people to speak up is inspiring, and we’re proud to contribute.
Catch 22: Young Londoner’s Victim Service
Kooth is also proud to be working alongside Catch 22: Young Londoners’ Victim Service.
Catch 22’s service is free and confidential, providing practical support and advocacy to young victims of crime (including crime that goes unreported to the police). Catch 22 signpost to Kooth’s digital mental health service to ensure young victims have a place to go if they need help in the evenings and weekends.
There’s still time to book
We want to help break the stigma that can surround conversations about mental health and suicide. This 1 hour webinar explores suicide awareness and prevention, and includes available support options and resources.
A free 45 minute webinar for parents and carers
Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance, or EBSNA for short, refers to young people who struggle to attend school because of a range of emotional factors.
These can include struggling with issues like low mood, anxiety and loneliness. The impact of EBSNA can range from the young person experiencing an occasional reluctance to attend school, to complete non-attendance. It can start suddenly or develop gradually over time.
We’ve developed this free webinar for families to explore EBSNA as a complex issue and will give guidance on how digital mental health support can help.