The Parent Book.
Therapist-written support for parents
Urgent help

Urgent helpWho to call, and when

If you need help right now.

This page is the list we keep at the foot of every chapter. It is here on its own so it can be found from a printed sheet, or from a phone, without reading anything else first.

If you or your child is in immediate danger, call 999. If you, or your child, is in mental health crisis, call NHS 111 and choose the mental-health option in England, Scotland and Wales, or Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 in Northern Ireland. The rest of the list is below, and none of it asks you to be certain before you use it.

If you need help right now Tap for helplines
If you need help right now
If you or your child is in immediate danger999 · Call 999 · Go to your nearest A&E · 24/7
If you, or your child, is in mental health crisisNHS 111 · England, Scotland and Wales: call 111 and choose the mental-health option. Northern Ireland: call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 · 24/7
If your child or young person is having thoughts of suicidePapyrus HopeLine 24/7 · 0300 102 2470 · text HOPE to 88247 · 24/7, every day · pat@papyrus-uk.org · Text and email replies may take up to 24 hours.
If your child needs to talk to someone themselvesChildline · 0800 1111 · 24/7
If you are worried that a child is being harmed or is at riskNSPCC Helpline · 0808 800 5000 · Mon-Fri 10am-4pm by phone; email 11am-4pm, seven days a week. An email sent when the service is closed is not received. · help@nspcc.org.uk · If the NSPCC service is closed and the concern cannot wait, call the police on 101. You can also contact the child’s local out-of-hours children’s social care, social work or social services team. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
If you would prefer to text rather than speakShout · Text SHOUT to 85258 · 24/7
If you are struggling yourself and need to talkSamaritans · 116 123 · 24/7

AfterwardsWhen the moment has passed

The Parent Book is a library written by therapists, for parents. If what brought you here is something you are living with rather than something happening tonight, the library may be a place to start. Look through it, or ask your school about it.