Staying safe

If something upsetting, scary or stressful has happened to you, it can have quite a big effect on your mental health, even if it happened years ago.

If you have been hurt or not looked after properly, or treated in a way that makes you feel scared or unsafe or you feel very unhappy or alone you must tell an adult that you trust.

If you think this might have happened to you, there are lots of places you can go for advice, with some suggestions below. If you are over 16 and were hurt or abused as a child this page on MindWell has lots of information which could help you.If you are a parent or professional and have concerns about a child or young person, the Dorset Safeguarding Children's Board website and Bournemouth & Poole Safeguarding Children Board website have information on where to go for help in Dorset.

Confidentiality

If you tell an adult about abuse or neglect they will need to share this information with others if they think you are ‘at risk of harm’. This is to make sure that you are safe and get the support you need.

If you want to talk to someone about abuse or neglect of any kind call Childline free on 0800 1111

You can find out more about how CAMHS protects your right to confidentiality in our section about your CAMHS appointment.

Online safety

It’s important to protect yourself if you’re online. The Childline website has the lowdown on everything from online bullying to social media, to keeping yourself safe from online grooming and how to protect your personal info. If you are worried about visiting this or other websites and keeping it confidential, this advice on private browsing and staying safe online might help.