LEADING CHANGE

The YoungMinds Vs campaigns1,500 young people consulted on the issues that worry them….

www.youngmindsvs.org.uk

Aims of today’s session

• Gain an understanding about mental health issues faced by children and young people

• Consider how services could be redesigned to better meet the needs of young people

• Become aware of evolving, innovative support services for young people with mental health issues

Youth Focus: North East

Case study exercise

• In three groups, review your case study sheet and discuss answers to the questions posed

Youth Focus: North East

Mental health issues faced bychildren and young people

• 1 in 10 children and young people suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder (YoungMinds), with 20% having a mental health problem in any given year (Mental Health Foundation, 2005)

• Rates of mental health problems among children increase as they reach adolescence (National Statistics Online, 2004)

• There has been a big increase in the number of young people being admitted to hospital because of self harm. Over the last ten years this figure has increased by 68% (YoungMinds, 2011)

Youth Focus: North East

Mental health issues faced bychildren and young people

• Young people have the highest incidence and prevalence of mental illness across the lifespan, but they are the least likely to access mental health services (McGorry et al., 2013)

• More than half of all adults with mental health problems were diagnosed in childhood. Less than half were treated appropriately at the time (Kim-Cohen et al., 2003)

• CAMHS only receives 0.7% of the total NHS budget

Youth Focus: North East

Examples of key features for youth mental health services • Youth participation at all levels

• A holistic, preventive approach to mental health with a focus on sequential care and shared decision-making

• Early intervention, social inclusion and vocational outcomes as core targets

• Care that truly reflects the epidemiological of mental health difficulties for young people, taking into account the new developmental culture of ‘emerging adulthood’

• Ensuring care is continued when it is needed most

Taken from McGorry, Bates & Birchwood (2013)

Youth Focus: North East

About Youth Focus: North East• Established in 1989, Youth Focus:

North East (formerly Regional Youth Work Unit – North East) is a regional hub connecting young people and the organisations and professionals who support them.

• Progressive and dynamic, our award-winning organisation is rooted in the values of youth work.

• We support a network of over 1500 organisations and individuals concerned with improving the lives of young people.

Youth Focus: North East

Our direct delivery work

Youth Focus: North East

Health

Youth Employment

Intergenerational

Education and the Arts

Our mental health work

• My Mind Matters – a young person led training programme for professionals about mental health

• Change UR Mind – a mental health youth board for the North East run in partnership with Young Minds

• Young Leaders – a youth leadership training programme

• Wellbeing Challenge Days – promoting awareness of mental health with young people and local communities

Youth Focus: North East

The transition to adult services“For young people going from child to adult mental services, this is often a negative experience with less than 5% making an ‘optimal transition’.”

(Reading, 2006)

This leads to:- disruption in continuity of care- disengagement from services - poorer clinical outcomes- more young people at greater risk of getting ‘lost in transition’

“There is now an urgent need for developments in…transitional care, so that all young people can meet their full adult potential.”

(Mc Donagh & Viner, 2006)

Youth Focus: North East

So what was done?

• Transitions Advocacy Project (TAP) conceived by Change UR Mind

• Funded by the North of England Mental Health Development Unit (NEMHDU)

• Joint partnership project between Youth Focus: North East and Young Minds

• Nine month pilot study working directly with young people experiencing issues with general transitions, including those from child to adult mental health services

Youth Focus: North East

Initial targets of the programme

• Appoint a young Peer Coordinator

• Engage with stakeholders and organisations

• Develop an assessment tool

• Identify organisations young people could be signposted to

• Agree scope of young people who would become involved in project

Youth Focus: North East

Assessment tool• Wheel of Wellbeing designed by Change UR Mind

• Five main areas related to health and wellbeing

• Used for assessment at future points

Youth Focus: North East

TAP’s model of support

• As the project began, the definition of ‘transitions’ was widened to other key life transitions e.g. education, housing

• Package of individually tailored support developed after an assessment with the Peer Coordinator

• Follows three strands: advocacy, wellbeing activities, signposting

• Target of 40 referrals by the end of the project

• At the end of March 2014, 47 young people were referred onto the project so it was decided to pause referrals

Youth Focus: North East

Cohort of young people

Youth Focus: North East

TAP service uptake

• Average length of working with a young person was just over 3 months

• 72% of young people were signposted to relevant services to support their mental health and wellbeing

• 39% of young people received support via advocacy

• 84% of young people took part in various wellbeing activities

Youth Focus: North East

TAP Key Statistics

Out of 25% of young people reviewed at the end of the project:

• All young people made at least one step’s progress in at least 3 out of 5 areas on their WOW

• 78% made at least one step’s progress in all areas on their WOW

• 78% reported an increased psychological score on their WOW with scores of the remaining 22% staying the same

• All young people said they would recommend TAP to a friend

Youth Focus: North East

Feedback from young people

Youth Focus: North East

“From the first time I met with Jo it helped me, she was someone who listened to my problems and didn't just sweep them away. I thank Jo and TAP for helping me get back up the ladder!”

Young person aged 18

“With TAP I've been involved with medical services that I’d never accessed…on my own. I think now with help I have a little bit more confidence. I now know how to deal with things more appropriately.”

Young person aged 15

“I feel like TAP has set me up for life – I am now receiving support to help me with important transitions in my life, especially employment and housing.”

Young person aged 19

Case study review• In your groups, return to your case studies and consider whether you would

recommend anything different to your young person based on what you have heard today

Youth Focus: North East

Questions?

Youth Focus: North East