30th May 2025
Parents urged to use online tool to help with young people’s mental health
Since being launched in October 2024, nearly two thousand young people and their parents have accessed mental health and wellbeing advice from the HEEADSSS website, which explores a wide range of issues that can impact our young people.
HEEADSSS stands for Home, Education/employment, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexual health, Suicide/mood and Safety.
This innovative, free-to-access online tool aims to support the health and wellbeing of young people by identifying and addressing areas where they may need additional help or guidance including home life, education and employment, eating habits, activities, drug use, sexual health, and issues around suicide prevention and safety.
By examining these key areas, the tool provides a discrete, holistic approach to identifying risky behaviours and psychosocial challenges that may affect young people and their families.
Dr Philip Martin, Belfast Trust Consultant in Emergency Medicine said:
“The website is available to anyone aged 13-20 at www.app.heeadsss.uk but we would strongly encourage parents and guardians to use it too, and alert young people to the site so they can use it themselves.”
There are posters in clinical assessment cubicles in the Emergency Departments of the Royal Victoria Hospital, Mater Hospital and Children’s Hospital with a QR code which also leads to the site.
Users simply enter their age and select “Northern Ireland” to access resources tailored to this region. There is no need to register, and all responses remain anonymous.
It is easy to navigate through the various sections for advice.
Dr Martin added: “The most accessed section is suicide/safety followed by the education/employment and drugs/alcohol sections.
“Whilst initially aimed at young people attending our Emergency Departments, the site is highly relevant to young people and their families in the wider community.
“If you have a young person in your care and you have concerns about any aspect of their health or wellbeing, the information on HEEADSSS could mark the beginning of a very important journey for that young person signposting them to a host of local and national resources and organisations who offer help and support.”
This unique tool has been mapped to a network of Northern Ireland based [and UK-wide] organisations and charities, enabling young people to connect with valuable local resources, as well as relevant supports from across the UK. Those resources are updated on a regular basis.