Cambridgeshire/
Peterborough Parents and Carers


“We wouldn’t have found any of the support that we have accessed so far without Nessie and at the moment it feels as though you are the only people who actually ‘get’ our, and our daughter’s problems.” Parent
Positively supporting Parents of Children with Self-Harming Behaviours and Other Emotional and Mental Health Needs
for Parents and Carers in Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
What we offer:
- Free online and face-to-face workshops
- Parent Support line for parents/carers of young people with self-harming behaviours: 07932 651319 (open Wednesdays 9 am – 12 pm or by appointment)
- Private moderated Facebook support groups:
- Cambridge support group for parents of children/young people that self-harm or
- Nessie parent/carer support group for other emotional and mental health needs
- 1-1 targeted support sessions for complex parental or family needs
- Peer support groups
- ‘Drop In And Chat Coffee Mornings’ – an opportunity to talk about everything and anything
For more information please complete THIS FORM
Nessie is funded by Cambridgeshire & Peterborough County Council to support families of children and young people with emotional and mental health needs.
This project began with a specific focus on supporting families of children with self-harming behaviours in Cambridgeshire but we are pleased to announce that the funding was extended geographically in April 2023 to Peterborough to cover a range of emotional and mental health needs.
The aim of this work is to help parents/carers in developing a positive and more confident approach to supporting their young person, whilst offering a chance to gain peer support, useful strategies and practical tools.
Areas of support include, but are not limited to:
- Anxiety
- Bereavement and Loss (including divorce and separation)
- LGBTQ+ and Gender Questioning
- School Avoidance
- Self Harm
- Managing Meltdowns
To book one-to-one support, please complete this form and a member of the team will be in contact to arrange a chat. Please note: there is an expectation that you will have attended relevant workshops before booking a 1-1 session.
Upcoming workshops:
Supporting Parents/Carers of Children with Anxiety | Thursday 27th Apr 2023, 10:00 am to 11:30 am |
Supporting Parents/Carers with Children with Self-Harming Behaviours | Wednesday 3rd May 2023, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm |
Supporting Children with Emotionally Based School Avoidance | Tuesday 9th May 2023, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm |
Supporting Parents/Carers with Children with Gender Questioning | Monday 15th May 2023, 10:00 am to 11:30 am |
Peer Support Group for Parents/Carers of Children and Young People with Complex Mental Health Issues | Tuesday 16th May 2023, 9:30 am to Tue 11th Jul 2023, 11:30 am (occurs weekly) |
Supporting Parents/Carers of Children with Bereavement | Monday 22nd May 2023, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm |
Supporting Parents/Carers of Children with Anxiety | Tuesday 6th Jun 2023, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm |
Supporting Children with Emotionally Based School Avoidance | Tuesday 20th Jun 2023, 10:00am to 11:30am |
Schools and Community Settings in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Nessie is being commissioned to deliver FREE workshops and support for parents/carers currently supporting young people who are displaying Self-Harming behaviours.
This is a new collaboration between Nessie and the County Council to offer guidance to parents who might be struggling to understand self-harm or to access advice on how to support at home. Nessie’s staff are all qualified therapists and teachers who have been delivering this support in surrounding counties for a number of years and have extensive experience in supporting parents in this area.
We can offer parent forums face-to-face within the school setting or online. These informal workshops usually run for 1.30 hours with time for questions and discussions at the end. There are also additional opportunities for more targeted 1-1 sessions with individual parents/carers, should it be needed.
For more information or to book a workshop at your setting, please complete THIS FORM
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough support services:
- Childline – if you’re under 19, you can call 0800 1111 to talk to the helpline between 7.30am and 3.30am every day. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
- Papyrus – Tel: 0800 0684141 Text: 0778 6209697 Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org, 10am-10pm weekdays, 2pm-10pm weekends and bank holidays.
- Samaritans – Call 116 123 to talk or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours.
- YOUnited – provides emotional wellbeing and mental health help for children and young people aged 0 to 25 registered with a GP in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
- Pinpoint – help and information to parent carers of children and young people aged 0-25 with additional needs and disabilities, and give parent carers opportunities to have a say and get involved in improving local services.
- The Kite Trust – supports the wellbeing and creativity of LGBTQ+ young people in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and surrounding areas through information, support and groups.
If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis

Diversity & LGBTQ+
Nessie welcomes diversity. We value difference and are proud to support those from a range of social and ethnic backgrounds, of different genders, sexual orientations, ages, religions, ethnicities and people with disabilities.