Strengthening Mental Health Improvement and Early Intervention for

Child and Young Peoplein Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Tuesday 13th September 2011Stakeholders Event, Beardmore Hotel & Conference Centre

Trevor LakeyHealth Improvement and Inequalities Manager,

GGCNHS

Importance of children and young people in mental health strategy

Infants, Children and Young People are priority groups within the Scottish Policy and Action Plan for Mental Health Improvement: ‘Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland’

High priority also in Strategic Framework for Greater Glasgow and Clyde: ‘No Health Without Mental Health’

Importance of this agenda….

“1 in 10 of 5-16 year olds have clinically significant mental health difficulties”

Green et al, 2005

“Left unresolved, mental health problems significantly affect children and young people’s social and educational development. This can have a profound and lasting negative impact into adult life in terms of employment, relationships, and the likelihood of disability.”

Mental Health Foundation – Supporting Young People’s Mental Health

Shifting responsibility to the mainstream – it’s everyone’s business…

“Even with sustained investment, CAMHS services cannot be expected to bear responsibility for ensuring that all young people who need some form of support receive it…

“Place increased focus on prevention coupled with improved primary mental health care for all children and young people.”

Mental Health Foundation – Supporting Young People’s Mental Health

Key elements for attention

Leadership

Structures

Strategy

Planning…

ACTION!

Engagement with children, young people,

families, communities

Learn more about needs,

positive resources &

resilience factors, service use experiences

Early intervention services and

initiatives (Tier 1)

Mental wellbeing initiatives and

activities (Tier 0)

CAMHS (Tiers 2 and beyond)

Pre-5s and parenting

Primary school age: 5-11

Secondary school age: 11-18

Priority needs e.g. Looked After, Young Carers

Needs analysis, including equality and diversity dimensions

Evidence base – what works and evaluating innovative approaches

Resource dimensions, including skills development, investment, community assets

Emerging Issues – Mapping Work

Emerging evidence base and economic case for strengthening mental health promotion and early intervention www.phru.net/mhin/childandyouth

Excellent services & initiatives underway – BUT lots of gaps, not always known about, joined up, sustained over time, accessible and user friendly, do they provide help quick enough? Stigma still an issue!

Lots of issues raised about workforce development, skills, confidence

Vital importance of schools arena – education professionals keen to be more involved, range of support needs, including policies and specialist inputs

Workshop Themes

1. Emotional Resilience – what strategies for developing positive skills and assets for emotional wellbeing?

2. Distress – how do we reach out and support children & young people in distress, engaged in self harm, at risk of suicide, coping with loss, bereavement?

3. Communication & Engagement – how do we connect better, learn more and involve young people in mental health improvement? Social marketing & social networking opportunities?

4. The maze and referral pathways – how do we make it easier for children and families to find the help they need, including coping with complex problems that span agencies

5. Training – how do we strengthen the skills and confidence of our workforces (voluntary and statutory) to boost preventative and early intervention work?

Workshop tasks and beyond…

Workshop 1: your contributions to the 5 themes, what are the issues, what works and should be strengthened

Workshops 2 & 3: working in your community planning partnership / CH(C)P areas: building on these issues, what are local priorities, beginning action planning, to take back to local decision-making structures

Commitment of Health Board to sustain a strategic approach to this challenge area