Help & Support
If you’re worried about a young person and think they could benefit from extra support, UTurn is here to help.
We work with children and young people aged 9–18 (up to 25 with additional needs), offering mentoring, safe spaces, activities and targeted projects. We work closely with schools, Essex County Council and Essex Police where needed to help keep young people safe.
If you’re a young person reading this yourself, you can also visit The UTurn Hub page to see what it’s like at the Hub and what happens there.
Referring a young person to UTurn
Parents, carers, schools, professionals and other organisations can refer a young person to UTurn.
If you’re unsure whether we’re the right service, you’re welcome to get in touch with us for an informal chat first.
What happens after you refer
Once we receive a referral, we will:
Acknowledge the referral and check we have all the information we need
Decide whether UTurn is the right service, or if another agency may be more appropriate
Contact the young person and/or their parent or carer to explain what we can offer
Agree a plan of support, which might include mentoring, hub sessions, groups or signposting to other services
We’ll always keep the young person at the centre of decisions and work alongside other professionals where needed.
If a young person is in immediate danger
UTurn is not an emergency service.
If you believe a young person is in immediate danger, call 999.
For urgent safeguarding concerns, contact Essex Children’s Social Care or the relevant out-of-hours service.
If you’re a young person and need to speak to someone urgently, you can contact national helplines such as:
Childline – 0800 1111
Samaritans – 116 123
Text SHOUT to 85258 for free, confidential support via text
What Next?
Choose the option that best fits the support or information you need.
