Learn, amplify and influence change: A look back at our work so far
At Fullscope we aspire to learn, to amplify and to influence change
In particular we have been working to understand how children and young people and their families can be better supported locally with their mental health, especially if they are disadvantaged, isolated, impacted by inequality and discrimination and struggling with services which are difficult to navigate or access.
We’ve been looking back at the last three years reflecting on the work we have done.
What are some of the issues?
There are long waiting lists and there is a need for more immediate options for support.
There are barriers to services for some groups of children and young people.
There is a lack of understanding of issues like self-harm.
Children and young people are not part of the conversation about how best to support them with their mental health.
What are we learning?
Families and professionals can be better informed and enabled to make decisions about the help available across the system when the system is more ‘joined-up’.
There are compelling options for GPs to respond to requests for support with mental health needs, for example, a ‘single session offer’.
LGBTQ+ young people need significantly better support and resourcing across the sector. Listening to the young people themselves throws up some achievable ways to progress.
Creative resources delivered direct to communities and activities in nature can create an uplift in the wellbeing of children and young people.
Young people affected by self-harm want kinder, less stigmatising and more inclusive responses to their self-harm.
What are our aspirations for changes in the way mental health services are working?
We are advocating for:
High standards of involvement and co-production with children, young people and their families.
More multi agency conversations to meet the needs of those struggling to engage with current services.
Building the evidence base for a diverse range of solutions and interventions that can alleviate barriers and inequalities.
Small changes can make a big impact
We are supporting cross sector work including:
the mental health partnership YOUnited and its co-production group ‘Our Voices’
embedding the new Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System and elements such as IThrive
the development of the local Children and Young People’s Mental Health Strategy.
Fullscope Director, Eva Acs says:
“We must come together as a local system and realise our possibilities: the status quo is not an option. Our system response to mental health and wellbeing in today’s England demands a bold and radical change of direction.”
You can read the full report here.
A bit more about Fullscope:
Fullscope is a consortium of leading charities supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Fullscope creates collaboration between mental health and wellbeing charities in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, to share specialisms, streamline support, and instigate system change for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing services.