Emotional Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People in South Tyneside
Coproduction
Various sessions have been offered to children and young people for them to tell us about their experiences on the commissioned mental health services. From those sessions, there are themes emerging such as, communication; several children and young people have told us that they are not aware of what the mental health offer is and how they access support. More work is being undertaken to understand this in more detail and how we can work with young people to improve communication.
The Health-Related Behaviour Questionnaire responses in section 2 outline what young people have told us about their experiences, such as what the top worries are - how this differs from girls and boys, however, listening to music is the top coping strategy across both sexes.
In 2018/19, the place based ICB commissioned a specific LGBT+ Support Service. This was in response to conversations with young people who told us that they were referred to mental health services when they were confused about their identity, however, did not feel that there was enough understanding with the practitioners they spoke to, equally did not feel it was the right place for them to receive advice and support.
Other feedback includes not all fully understanding the differences in services, eg, South Tyneside and Sunderland Foundation Trust (STSFT) Lifecycle Service, and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW) CYPS Service and how this affects them. They feel it would be better if this was more streamlined. Those who were awaiting, or had a neurodevelopmental assessment had a better understanding of the services.
Some young people (and families) have told us that being able to see the Mental Health Support Team (known locally as the Healthy Minds Team which our young people named) instead of going out of schools has been better for them and reduces some level of anxiety.
Following feedback from young people, it is apparent that there are inconsistencies across educational settings, which includes an understanding of emotional/mental health, and how to support someone who may be experiencing difficulties. Some young people advised that there are assemblies with information, people in and around school who they are aware of and have been signposted to, but some advised that they when they have spoken to staff, they have not had the knowledge, or skills to know how to support them to seek help.
From speaking to parents and carers, they have told us from their perspective they are left feeling frustrated when their children's needs cannot be met by one service, and they are transferred to another but receive little or no communication as to when they may be seen. They also would benefit from an understand of what the process is to receiving support and what support can be offered during the period of time until the young person is seen by the service.
Following feedback from families that they felt practitioners who work with their children were not able to articulate the mental health offer available, the Children and Young People's Mental Health & Wellbeing Alliance hosted an event for those practitioners who work directly with children and young people in the borough to attend and learn more about the offer. This included an overview of the sections of the thrive model; hearing from services how they fit into that and interacting with service representatives to have opportunities to ask questions and to meet the providers directly.