University support services
You can access help via a range of different services within the University depending on the support you need.
Your school will have a Learning and Support Officer (LTSO) or a Student Experience team, there are also academics attached to each department who can support you if you are struggling. There are Peer Mentors trained in wellbeing support and help available for Muslim, Jewish and Christian students through the Chaplaincy team. There are independent advisors in the Guild and Wardens and Residential Advisors if you are in University residence.
Within Student Services there is a Wellbeing team who can provide advice and guidance on a range of personal and social issues with a focus on improving mental and physical wellbeing.
For students experiencing complex and/or significant mental health difficulties during their studies, there is a Mental Health Advisory service. This service is accessible by first making an appointment with the Wellbeing team who can refer students to the service.
The university also has its own Counselling team that provides confidential psychological therapy. This service aims to help you explore how you think, behave and feel about an issue and help you find a way to make appropriate changes in your life. This service is accessible by first making an appointment with the Wellbeing team who can refer students to the service.
If you wish to contact the Wellbeing Team please complete our quick form. Each form will be reviewed by a Wellbeing Practitioner and you will be contacted with information on the support we feel is most appropriate for you.
Students can also access Health Assured which offers a free, confidential advice line, with help available to talk through any problem, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call the 24/7 helpline for free: 0800 028 3766 or download the app from the Google Play or App Store.
If you are ill, you can contact your GP, or visit a Walk-In Centre or pharmacy. Information and advice about NHS services is available at https://www.nhs.uk/. If you need help now, but it’s not an emergency, visit https://111.nhs.uk/ or call 111.
General Support Services
| Live Well |
Live Well is a directory of care and support services, activities and information covering Knowsley and Liverpool. You can browse services or information by clicking on the categories. You can narrow down your search results, such as to your postcode or council area, using the filters on the left of the search results page. |
https://www.thelivewelldirectory.com/ |
| Rethink | We support tens of thousands of people every year through our diverse range of mental health services and life-changing support groups. These are vital in helping people get through crises, live independently and recognise that they don’t have to face mental illness alone. | https://www.rethink.org/ |
| Student Minds | Whether you are looking for support for your mental health at university, support for a friend or loved one, or for services that might be available to you as a student, help is available. From workshops to support programmes, student minds can help. | https://www.studentminds.org.uk/ |
Other Support Services
Alcohol, substance misuse and addiction (including gambling)
| Addiction Helper | Helpline offering addiction treatment advice on alcohol, drug-taking, gambling, eating or sexual habits. 24-hour helpline, recovery-focused, offering advice on NHS and private treatment options including treatment centres, rehabilitation, outpatient programmes, counselling and local support groups. | 0800 044 8268. www.addictionhelper.com Telephone, webchat, email, and text support. Text “HELP” to 66777. |
| Beacon gambling trust | Offers free counselling support for those struggling with gambling addictions or is affected by someone around them with gambling issues. | 0151 226 0696 gamcare@beaconcounsellingtrust.co.uk |
| Frank | Offers information, advice and support for drug users, their supporters and professionals |
0300 123 6600 (24-hour helpline). frank@talktofrank.com |
| Turning Point | Works with people who have problems with drug and alcohol use, mental health and learning disabilities |
020 7481 7600 (Information line, not emotional support) |
Anxiety, panic disorders, OCD
| Anxiety UK | Helpline for people who experience anxiety disorders, such as panic attacks, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), social anxiety and associated depression. Monday-Friday 9:30-5:30pm. | 0333 212 5820 support@anxiety.org.uk. Free webchat is on their website, but counselling comes with a charge www.anxietyuk.org.uk. |
| No Panic | Offering telephone advice to those struggling with anxiety disorders such as panic attacks, phobias, OCD and other related anxiety disorders. Helpline is open 10am-10pm | 0844 967 4848 - Crisis Number 01952 680 835 - Recording of the breathing technique 24/7 Pen pals and support on the website. |
Apps
|
Papryus |
Have reviewed thousands of useful wellbeing apps and there is a search bar to filter down options including self-harm, suicide prevention and apps to support anxiety and depression | https://papyrus.orcha.co.uk/ |
| WYSA | An app for help with anxiety. A chat and related helpful resources | https://www.wysa.io/ |
| Woebot | Woebot was built and developed by psychologists who worked at Stanford University. Woebot is a chatbot that can help you think through situations with step-by-step guidance using methods from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), learn about yourself with intelligent mood tracking and it provides 100+ evidence-based lessons, exercises, and stories from our clinical team. | Download link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/woebot-your-self-care-expert/id1305375832 |
Bereavement support
| Liverpool Bereavement Services | Provide 1:1 counselling for people who are struggling to cope with a loss |
0151 236 3932 |
Carers
| Carers Trust (young carers) | Interactive website and online support service for young carers who help to look after someone in their family. Webchat is open Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at varying times. | www.carers.org. youngcarers@carers.org |
| Young Minds | Provides expert knowledge to professionals and parents through their helpline. Monday-Friday 9:30am-4pm |
Crisis support and phone lines
| Papyrus |
Papyrus is a suicide prevention charity for anyone up to the age of 35. They can talk through suicidal feelings and create suicide prevention plans with service users. |
Call: 0800 068 41 41 |
| Shout | Shout is a 24 hour crisis text service. If someone is struggling to cope and needs immediate help, Shout can talk this through with them. Their number is |
Text - 85258
|
| Samaritans | Samaritans are a listening service and provide confidential support around any issue. They will not provide advice or opinions, but a space to discuss whatever is impacting someone. | Helpline – 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org/ |
| Sane | Provide emotional support, practical help and info for people affected by mental illness or emotional problems, including self-harm and eating disorders. Open 4:30-10:30pm 7 days a week |
0300 304 7000 |
| Cheshire and Wirral Partnership | For Adults and Children & Young People in Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Wirral | 0800 145 6485 |
| Northwest Boroughs Healthcare Trust | For Adults and Children & Young People in Warrington, Halton, St Helens and Knowsley | 0800 051 1508 |
| Mersey Care Mental Health Trust |
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. For Adults 16+ in Liverpool, Sefton and Kirby. |
https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk/ |
| Alder Hey Crisis Care team | For Children & Young People in Liverpool and Sefton. | 0808 196 3550 |
| Liverpool Light service | a preventative out-of-hours mental health crisis service, open from 6pm – 12am, 7 days a week. It has been set up to provide a safe place for people who are experiencing or at risk of a mental health crisis. This space offers a safe and secure environment for individuals to de-escalate, recuperate and begin their recovery. We provide a specialised referral service outside of GP and day service hours and offers an alternative to the A&E department at the nearby Royal Liverpool University Hospital. | https://liverpoollight.wordpress.com/contact/ |
Depression and low mood
| Depression UK | Depression UK is a National Self-Help Organisation that helps people cope with their depression. Our charity is run by a team of 15 or more volunteers who welcome you to join us. | info@depressionuk.org www.facebook.com/depressionukorg/ |
| The Open Door Centre Wirral |
Aims to make the treatment of mild depression and anxiety accessible and approachable to young people. Based in Liscard, Wallasey, the service is free of charge and includes a drop-in centre, meditation, exercise programmes and counselling |
Eating Disorders
| Beat | Beat provide emotional support and signposting service based on eating disorders, parents/carers who have a loved one suffering from eating disorders, health professionals, and friends. They offer support via telephone, webchat, forums, and online support groups. Open 9am-8pm Weekdays and 4pm – 8pm Weekends. |
Emotional support and counselling
| Samaritans | Samaritans are a listening service and provide confidential support around any issue. They will not provide advice or opinions, but a space to discuss whatever is impacting someone. | Helpline: 116 123 https://www.samaritans.org/ |
| The Mix | The Mix provides emotional support and signposting around any issue via telephone, webchat, forums, and online support groups |
0808 808 4994 |
| Young Person’s Advisory Service (YPAS) |
YPAS provides mental health and emotional wellbeing services for Liverpool's children, young people and families. |
support@ypas.org.uk |
| Talk Liverpool | A free NHS service offering quick and easy access to talking therapies, practical support, and employment advice. Aims to help people if they are feeling stressed, low in mood (depressed) or very nervous (anxiety). The service is available through GPs in Liverpool, a range of voluntary sector organisations and by self-referral |
www.talkliverpool.nhs.uk |
| Beacon counselling trust | BCT is a charity that works comprehensively in the area of mild to moderate mental health issues. We have counselling sessions operating in 17 community-based programmes across Merseyside and the North West with our therapists delivering a variety of modalities and interventions to the particular patient group it engages with, such as advice and guidance, person-centred interventions, CBT, EMDR, EFT, child therapy, couples therapy, hypnotherapy, interpersonal and relationship therapy |
LGBTQ
| Switchboard LGBT + helpline | offers a range of help services for the LGBT community, including message boards and a helpline |
0300 330 0630 https://switchboard.lgbt/ |
| Stonewall | They are a campaign for the equality of lesbian, gay, bi and trans people across Britain and abroad | https://www.stonewall.org.uk/ |
| The Albert Kennedy Trust | Supports LGBT people aged 16-25 years old who are homeless or living in a hostile | https://www.akt.org.uk |
Local organisations
| Liverpool Samaritans | This local Samaritans service is free for all to use. You could be going through something new or have been struggling to cope for some time, either way, we're here if you feel you need some extra support. |
https://www.samaritans.org/branches/liverpool/ |
| Imagine Independence | Liverpool-based support service focused on helping people with mental health issues to live independently. |
imagine@imagineindependence.org.uk |
| Rethink Liverpool | Holds support groups for carers and people with mental illnesses in Liverpool to offer a listening ear and social support. |
liverpoolttc@gmail.com |
Personality disorders
| Borderline arts | Uses the arts to raise awareness of borderline personality disorder and reduce stigma. | www.borderlinearts.org |
| Personality disorder | Website commissioned by the UK Department of Health. Includes information and details of local services in England. | www.personalitydisorder.org.uk |
| BPD world | Provides information and support to people affected by personality disorders. It has an online support forum | www.bpdworld.org |
Physical Health
| NHS 111 | Provides non-emergency medical advice from trained health advisors. Also have a “symptom checker” on their website |
nhs.uk. Helpline – 111 |
Relationships
| Relate | Emotional support and counselling for individuals with any issues regarding relationships. They charge for telephone counselling, but they have a free web chat service for couples counselling and family counselling. | www.relate.org.uk |
Self-harm
| Self-injury Support | Helpline, text and email support for women and girls affected by self-harm and self-injury |
Helpline - 0808 800 8088 |
| Self Harm UK | A website for young people impacted by self-harm, providing a safe space to talk, ask questions and get info around self-harm. There’s an online forum where you can share thoughts and feelings with other young people who self-harm. | www.selfharm.co.uk |
| Harmless |
User-led organisation that supports people who self-harm, and their friends and family. |
www.harmless.org.uk |
Physical, emotional, mental, sexual abuse support
| RASA Merseyside |
Support for sexual abuse victims in Merseyside. |
referrals@rasamerseyside.org |
| SAFE Place Liverpool | At SAFE Place Merseyside we offer forensic medical examination services for both males and females who have been sexually assaulted. We can also provide you with emergency contraception, preventative treatments for sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) including HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and advice on screening for STI’s at a later date. | http://www.safeplacemerseyside.org.uk/ 24/7 telephone line: 0151 295 3550. |
| The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) | Supports adult survivors of any form of childhood abuse. Offers a helpline, email support and local services | 0808 801 0331 support@napac.org.uk www.napac.org.uk |
Suicide
| Papyrus | (35 and under) – Practical advice and info to anyone experiencing suicidal feelings, or anyone concerned that a person they know may be at risk of suicide. Can create safety plans for anyone worried about acting on their thoughts |
0800 068 4141 |
| Maytree | Support for people in suicidal crisis. 24-hour helpline | 020 7263 7070. Www.maytree.org.uk. maytree@maytree.org.uk. |
| Shout | Shout is a crisis messenger that can provide support around any issue that you may be experiencing. |
Text “SHOUT” to 85258 and a trained volunteer will support you over SMS. |
| Samaritans | Confidential, anonymous emotional support on any issue. Samaritans have extensive experience of dealing with those in distress or despair, including those with suicidal feelings. Please see above for 'local organisations' too. | Helpline: 116 123. www.samaritans.org.uk. |
Support for men
| Calm | Emotional support for men including support with suicidal feelings. Open 5pm-midnight every day. |
0800 58 58 58 |
| Men’s Advice Line | Helpline offering advice, info and emotional support to male victims of domestic violence, as well as those concerned about someone else. |
mensadviceline.org.uk. 0808 801 0327. |
| James’ Place |
James’ Place’s mission is to stop men from dying by suicide. They want to make sure that help is available for every man facing a suicidal crisis and support them to find hope for the future. James’ Place works with health partners to deliver a service to men in Merseyside whose needs have not been met by traditional services |
0151 303 5757 info@jamesplace.org.uk |
Support for refugees and asylum seekers
| Refugee Women Connect | Previously known as MRANG, is a women-only charity set up to support women asylum-seekers, refugees and survivors of trafficking. We work together to build a safe life in the UK for all women in the asylum seeker and refugee community. |
07538764156 |
| Refugee Council | With almost 20 years experience of in providing mental health services to refugees, the Refugee Council is a leading authority on the mental health needs of refugees and asylum seekers in the UK |
https://refugeecouncil.org.uk/get-support/contact-a-service-team/ |
| Refugee Action | At Refugee Action, we help people who’ve survived some of the world’s worst regimes. We get them the basic support they need to live again with dignity. Then we help them build safe, happy and productive lives in the UK. |