Looking for support? Resources for young people, parents and other supporters
As discussed elsewhere on this site, voice-hearing experiences in children and young people are fairly common, can be a normal part of growing up, and are not in themselves a cause for concern. However, if you find that these experiences cause significant, ongoing distress, you (or your child) should seek the advice of your GP or family doctor.
If you need help immediately, see our information on what to do in a crisis. If you want to talk to someone through a confidential listening service, you can try:
Childline: 0800 111 (open 24 hours, 7 days per week)
The Samaritans: 116 123 (open 24 hours, 7 days per week)
Mind: 0300 123 3393 (Monday to Friday, 9am–6pm)
Voice Collective
Voice Collective is a UK-wide London-based charity that supports young people who hear voices, see visions or have other unusual sensory experiences. They also offer support for parents, guardians, friends, professionals and teachers who may be looking for more information and advice for supporting a child or young person who is hearing voices.
To find out more about the different forms of support that Voice Collective can provide, explore the boxes below:
1. Peer support
The groups organised by Voice Collective are safe spaces for young people to meet others who share similar experiences, without worrying about being judged or made fun of. You can find out more about how these groups work here, and details of how to access groups that take place in London and the South-East here.
2. Online support
The charity also run an online forum for young people who would like to connect with others who hear voices, with support from a facilitator. It is open to people under the age of 25 from anywhere in the UK. There is a separate forum for parents, carers and other supports.
More information and instructions on how to join the forum can be found here.
You can also email Voice Collective for information and individual support at this email address. They’re not able to offer crisis support, but they do offer the chance to share your experiences with someone who will listen and try to understand.
3. Useful resources
Voice Collective provide a series of resources that explore different strategies for dealing with distressing voices, as well as some of the general issues faced by young voice-hearers and their parents or carers. You can find the full set of downloadable resources on their website
You might also find the following pages of their website useful:
About Voices & Visions: The Basics
Coping & Recovery: Living with Voices
In addition, Voice Collective have produced two brochures for parents, supporters and family members that can be downloaded below:
Voices & Visions: A straight talking introduction
Voices & Visions: A guide to coping and recovery
If you’d like to contact Voice Collective for more information and support, you can email them or call 020 7911 0822.
Additional support resources
Read
Advice from young people who took part in the Young Voices Study. Manchester Metropolitan University – suggestions and shared experiences from young people who took part in the Young Voices Study at the University of Manchester
Sarah Parry and Filippo Varese (2017). Parents, don’t panic if your child is hears voices, it’s actually quite common. The Conversation.
Sarah Parry and Filippo Varese (2017). Ten tips for parents of children who hear voices. Mad in America.
NEXT: VOICES IN OLDER ADULTS
Here we explore factors that make voice-hearing likely to occur in older adults, including hearing loss, bereavment, changes in the brain and loneliness.
