Talking Therapies – What’s Changed
“The government’s mental health strategy is ‘no decision about me without me.’ So let’s make that happen.” Children and young people supported by YoungMinds are at the heart of the government’s programme to help improve mental health and wellbeing for children and young people and to support the transformation of services based on their voice and influence.
When the Department of Health confirmed it was developing the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies for children and young people, YoungMinds undertook to review what children and young people had already told professionals and to run a big event of experts by experience to agree the top participation priorities for pilot sites. These include holistic and timely assessments, session by session monitoring and a clear complaints procedure, involving children and young people in staff recruitment, training and appraisal, as well as taking part in commissioning of services, influencing senior managers and there being a clear mission statement to promote children and young people’s participation.
“At the end of the day we’re the ones who receive this therapy. So it’s really important we’re involved.”
These nine indicators were then built into the tendering process for the first wave of mental health services, with each bid indicating what was in place for each indicator and how they planned to improve upon it. As one young person said, “We need to see the actions because they’ll speak louder than words.”
All those shortlisted then had two interviews, one being with a panel of young women from Leeds Getaway Girls project, supported by Liz Neill, the YoungMinds regional worker. The three pilot sites chosen now have a package of support to help ensure participation is built in throughout the programme, including the curriculum design and delivery and service development.
“The work of the young people gave a richness and depth to the interview process, reiterated the project's commitment to involving young people throughout and gave the interviewees a tough challenge. The young people were perceptive and thoughtful.” Kathryn Pugh, Children and Young People's IAPT Project Manager, Department of Health
Bill Badham, YoungMinds National Participation Manager