What is the positive change that has emerged through new collaborations or partnerships during Covid-19 that your project is going to embed?

One of our Consultant Psychiatrists has made links with education colleagues and other local stakeholders to look at how we can collaboratively address this.  We have also made links with the head of vulnerable learners at the Local Authority and are seeking to work with partners to ensure a joined up response to emotional health and wellbeing needs within schools.

What does your project aim to achieve?

Our CAMHS Teams are identifying the challenges face by teachers, parents and pupils as a consequence of the COVID pandemic.  There remains significant disruption to schools with local outbreaks, pupils and parents being contacted by track and trace this is leading to disruption and changes in routine for young people.  The CAMHS teams are identifying some common issues including school refusal, anxiety and these can be compounded where young people have neuro-developmental conditions due to autism etc.

We are seeking to reduce the burden of mental health issues within the CYP population. We serve some areas of significant deprivation and this project would aim to reduce the stigma of mental health by improving access through the use of modern technology at the threshold of our services.