Safeguarding information for students/parents/carers during college closure

What should I do if I’m worried about my safety or the safety of others during the college closure?

• If you feel at immediate risk, contact the Police on 999

• For non-emergency concerns or for Police advice, call 101.

• There’s lots of advice about a wide range of safety and wellbeing concerns on https://lancashire.police.uk/help-advice/

• Lancashire Police also have an online service to contact them in non-emergency situations https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/

• If you are worried about welfare/wellbeing then call social care for advice…

  • If you are a resident in Blackpool, call 01253 477299

(out of hours: 01253 477600)

• If you are a resident in Fylde or Wyre, call 0300 123 6720

(out of hours 0300 123 6722)

• The NSPCC is available for advice or information, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000. The helpline is open Monday to Friday 8 am – 10 pm or 9 am – 6 pm at the weekends. You can also email help@nspcc.org.uk for support or advice.

• The CASHER Team, based at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, are available 7 days a week for young people up till the age of 25 who require urgent mental health support out of normal hours. Tel 07717 150304 (John) or 07795 452781(Elaine) or 07810 696565

What if I am struggling emotionally and need someone to talk to?

The Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can contact them by phone on 116 123 or via email on jo@samaritans.org. Common reasons people contact the Samaritans are Common reasons people contact us are:

• relationship and family problems

• loss, including loss of a friend or a family member through bereavement

• financial worries

• feeling stressed or anxious

• college or study-related stress

• loneliness and isolation

• depression

• painful and/or disabling physical illness

• heavy use of or dependency on alcohol or other drugs

• thoughts of suicide

Where can I get advice and guidance about Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

• NHS advice: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

• Stay at home guidance:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance/stay-at-home-guidance-for-people-with-confirmed-or-possible-coronavirus-covid-19-infection

• Guidance on social distancing for everyone in the UK to protect older people and vulnerable adults:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults

Where can I get advice about other health concerns?

• NHS advice: www.nhs.uk

• Digital healthy colleges https://blackpoolsixth.blackpool.digitalhealthyschools.co.uk allows you to search for over 300,000 health-related apps that have been evaluated and recommended as safe by the NHS.

What if my family or friends are struggling for food?

• Fylde Foodbank: St Annes, Lytham, Kirkham, Warton and rural areas of Fylde: https://fylde.foodbank.org.uk/

• Blackpool Housing/Food Banks: https://www.blackpool.gov.uk/Residents/Advice-and-support/Discretionary-support-scheme.aspx