Here is the full report from the March 2011 event which launched the DH consultation with children and young people on extending access to psychological therapies. It contains a summary of findings, the emerging top participation priorities, much of the detailed content from the day AND summary interviews with children and young people.
This four page report looks to summarise the whole process to date in involving children and young people in influencing Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. The full report has masses of detail which is really worth reading and we hope this is of value too to all who have taken part and all those involved in promoting improved mental health with and for children and young people.
After the day, I got chance to chat with Kathryn and Karen, both officials at the Department of Health and collect their thoughts on the day and what they'll be taking back to the Government.
Kathryn
"If we want to change services, we have to improve how we work with young people, children and their familes and see them as equal participant and not as people we do things to but as people we walk along side with."
"If services listened to their young people and involved them then they would genuinely meet their needs."
Karen
"My only regret is that more of my colleagues can't be here with me listening to the incredible, insightful contributions the young people here have made. These conversations need to be happening with everbody involved in providing services to children and young people with mental health needs."
In roving reporter style, I caught up with some of the young people to find out how the day had gone...
Kat
"We need to see the actions because they'll speak louder than words."
Michelle
"It definitely feels like it can make a difference, more than just talking and seeing nothing happen. It actually feels like we've made a difference." Naomi
"At the end of the day we're the ones who receive this therapy. So it's really important we're involved."
George
"They normally say we take away everything from the meetings and you think, 'yeah do you?' But today they really did listen."
I just wanted to say a big thank you for today to you and everyone who helped organise the event.
It was my first contact with YoungMinds really and despite being really nervous everyone was friendly and I’ve gained a lot from the experience.
It’s the first time in my whole life I've met people who have experienced some of the things I have and it has made me realise that the way I was treated by services was their fault, not that I was a bad and worthless person as I have thought for years.
I have walked away feeling empowered and not alone for the first time in years. Thank you
After the incredible day yesterday, 5 big group activities and 9 small group workshops, nearly all the charts and post-its are typed into a first draft report for participants to review and comment on for Monday lunchtime.
We used one of BRICK’s great cartoons based on what young people have said to agree how to make sure young people’s voice and influence reaches the top
Heart – values, beliefs and principles
Head – knowledge
Hands – skills
Drawing of Bill by Lisa – thanks Lisa!
The atmosphere here as i've already mentioned is so inspiring!
After reading some of our young people's comments about being just a "tick in a box" i wrote this, i'm not sure you can call it a poem but here i go anyway:
Human?
I’m an appointment time
A care plan
The paperwork you do when you go home
A file locked away in an office
A case study
A score on a diagnostic tool
A BMI: 16.1
A dosage: 40mg
An ICD reference number:
ICD10 ICD 307.1
296.3
300.02
300.03
307.41
43.1
Hi everyone,
I should probably introduce myself quickly, my name is Kat and i am one of YoungMind’s VIK members, currently living in the East of England, struggling with long term mental health problems and constantly campaigning for better services for young people.
We’ve just had the morning session and can i just say it has been amazing. Lots of faces old and new and some really mind blowing thoughts and ideas being bounced around, the atmosphere here is incredible. Everyone is so pro-active and so passionate about the things we’re speaking about here today and it’s wonderful to be surrounded by so many like minded people.
I also wanted to note down a few of the things that have come up today that have really stood out for me personally:
*Young people in mental health services feel like they’re just “ticks in a box” which is so dehumanising!
*We are not listened to. Doctors and services often seem to have their own agenda..they already know what they’re going to diagnose us with or what medication they want us on and we don’t have a say in what happens to us-definitely not “No decision about us without us”!
*We’ve been told that because we have a mental health problem we shouldn’t aspire to achieving anything because we’ll never manage..sometimes it feels like they make the glass ceiling so low that we hit our head every time we try and even stand up and it’s not fair. We can and do accomplish amazing things and no one should ever tell you that you can’t.
*Communication is vital and right now a lot of the time it just isn’t happening. Services aren’t talking to young people and the services aren’t talking to each other either and everyone is losing out because of this.
*Young people are often not given appropriate treatment, we’re stuck on medication without psychological therapies or we’re given leaflets and told to come back in “an emergency”..but when we do we’re told we’re too ill
*Just because we’re young we’re not idiots or incapable of understanding what is going on, listen to us and treat us with some trust and respect-you will be rewarded. For treatment to really work you need a working two way relationship.
And of course so, so much more has been said but i will leave it at that for now!
Kat