How the voluntary and community sector
can support the emotional and mental
health of children and young people
Introduction
On July 13th 2015, 50 Voluntary and community sector professionals from 44 organisations met to discuss the role of
the sector in supporting the emotional and mental health of children and young people. The free event was hosted
by the National Children’s Bureau and the Young People’s Health Partnership as part of their work as Health and
Care Voluntary Sector Strategic Partners. The aims of the day were to:
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Learn more about Future in Mind and the relevance and implications of its messages for the VCS
Look at the different roles that the VCS can play in supporting CYP mental health and wellbeing and the
resultant training and support needs of VCS staff
Share ideas, potential solutions, practice and service examples likely to help take forward key messages and
address challenges highlighted
This note summarises the key issues which were raised on the day.
Presentations
Sheryl Burton, Programme Director for Health and Social Care at NCB Chaired the day and we had 3 presentations:
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Claire Bethel, Deputy Director, Children and Young People’s Health Department of Health set out the key
messages for the voluntary sector from Future in mind, the Government report produced following the work of
the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce.
Barbara Rayment, Director, Youth Access described the One Stop Shop model referenced in Future in Mind of
Youth Information Advice, and Counselling services.
Emma Rigby, Chief Executive, AYPH and member of YPHP set out the broader role of the VCS in supporting
young people.
The fact that Future In Mind recognises the important role of the VCS in supporting CYP mental health is very
encouraging. It is important that as work in this area develops the VCS is aware of how to engage with key decision
makers and processes in the health system and health partners are clear about the role of the VCS from prevention
to service provision.
All presentations and a policy briefing of Future in Mind are available to download.
Key themes from discussion
Following the presentations and a Q and A session we met in small groups. Feedback at the end of the session
identified the following key themes and action points.
1. Working together in the VCS: Mental health is relevant for a broad range of VCS organisations both those
who specialise in the field and those for whom mental health isn’t a key focus, e.g. organisations focusing on
employability skills, conservation, sport, arts and cultural organisations. We need to encourage the VCS to
link up more effectively on the Mental Health agenda. We discussed the potential for different types of
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organisations (small and large, from different sectors etc.) to form partnerships and work together to for
example: provide a joint local offer, develop brokerage services for CYP. The challenges for the sector were
also discussed with funding insecurity and competition threatening collaboration.
Need to ensure the wider VCS is engaged in discussions focused on improving CYP MH and makes more
effective links between different organisations and avoids duplication-potentially through umbrella
organisations and coalitions.
Need to develop ways of sharing models of local practice including ways of measuring and profiling impact
Need to assist organisations to communicate more effectively about expertise, impact, evidence etc. with
commissioners, HWBBs via coalitions, membership and umbrella bodies.
2. Meaningful participation with CYP is fundamental to transformation of CYP mental health services - the VCS
are experts at engaging young people and supporting youth and peer led work and local areas.
 Need for CYP mental health services to engage with VCS participation experts in local areas
 Need to recognise the time and expertise required for engagement work with CYP and ensure that sufficient
is available.
3. VCS capacity and funding.
Staff and volunteer training and support: There is some tension around needing to address CYP mental
health needs whilst also recognising where your expertise lie and not trying to do everything.
 Need for good basic staff training and support, people welcomed the Mental health first aid training.
Funding: the short term nature of VCS funding impacts on consistency of services and ability to collect data.
Some YIAC like services as supported by Future in Mind are facing funding cuts now.
 Need sustained investment in VCS to support ongoing work.
4. Ensuring clarity in the proposed changes: Future in Mind sets out many changes to the way in which
services are provided including the removal of the tier system. Whilst recognising the need for change there
is a need to ensure that new solutions are properly thought through to avoid unintended consequences.
 Need to ensure that we are replacing the old tier system with a new system that will bring improvements
including clarity about what services are available locally
5. Positive impact of peers: The VCS are experts at engaging peer groups in a positive way. Whilst recognising
the potential for harm from peers there should be more focus on peer outreach and support which is
important and effective if done properly - avoiding tokenism and ensuring sufficient support.
 Need to focus on the positive role of peers and the potential for sharing information about Mental Health
through peer networks.
 Need to develop and support peer educators with training, such as Youth Health Champion award.
6. Schools: school funding and structures for Mental Health support are incredibly variable and lead to very
different experiences for young people. Schools are not always easily accessible to work with/in even if the
services you’re offering are free.
 Need for mental health coordinator in schools was supported – a single point of access would greatly help
 Need for a curriculum focus on Mental Health
 Need for funding for school counsellors and school nurses
 Need for teacher training to emphasise more about children’s social and emotional development
7. Technology is an enabler and potential tool for change
 Need to support effective use of technology to meet YPs needs
8. Parents: The importance of giving parents of CYP with MH difficulties a voice and support was discussed.
This can raise some challenges around confidentiality etc.
 Need to offer parallel support to parents focused on how to support your CYP in one-stop-shop.
9. Prevention: The VCS undertakes a significant amount of prevention work. This works as YP are attending
VCS services for other reasons and before the need for help escalates. They can also provide a less
stigmatised environment than MH services. The VCS recognises the social determinants of CYP Mental
Health and works with those who are vulnerable and marginalised and from all communities. The
importance of activities in school holidays and after school was also stressed. Cuts to these services will have
an impact on CYP MH and building resilience
 Need to recognise the importance of early intervention and the impact of the cuts to these services in the
VCS and statutory sectors
 Need to communicate prevention messages in culturally appropriate ways
 Need to recognise the importance of mental health in the early years and the connection with parental
mental health problems
 Need for wider embedding of resilience building – across curriculum (not just PSHE) and provision.
10. Evidence and research: The VCS recognises the importance of evidence of outcomes, impact etc. but the
capacity of the VCS to generate good outcomes data is limited by access to good IT infrastructure relevant to
a VCS setting which delivers multiple and distinct interventions, a lack of administrative capacity to input
data and the multiple outcomes required by multiple funders. The VCS raised the challenges of evidencing
prevention work and a lack of funding to undertake research.
 Need to develop stronger relationships between VCS and research bodies.
 Need clarity about outcome tools which exist
 Need funding and capacity to undertake research and develop outcome tools etc.
Conclusion and next steps
On the 14th July 2015 Emma Rigby from YPHP and Enver Solomon from NCB presented some headline issues from
the workshop to Alistair Burt Minister of State for Community and Social Care together with experts in the field as
part of a roundtable hosted by Youth Access. In December 2015 Emma Rigby will be presenting on these issues to
the NHS England Children and Young People Mental Health Strategic Clinical Network. Both YPHP and NCB will
continue to ensure that these issues are being raised at a strategic level and will also look to provide further support
to the VCS in its diverse and important roles supporting children and young people’s mental health.
NCB and YPHP
The National Children's Bureau is a leading charity that for 50 years has been improving the lives of children and
young people, especially the most vulnerable. We work with children and for children, to influence government
policy, be a strong voice for young people and practitioners, and provide creative solutions on a range of social
issues. For more information contact kthomas@ncb.org.uk
The Young People's Health Partnership (YPHP) is a seven-strong consortium of organisations working with the
Department of Health, Public Health England and NHS England as strategic partners to raise the profile of the health
agenda across the voluntary youth sector.
The partnership will champion young people's health needs whilst providing a conduit for youth organisations, the
state and young people to work towards reducing health inequalities. The partnership is led by the National Council
for Voluntary Youth Services (NCVYS) and includes: Addaction, Association of Young People’s Health, Brook, CLIC
Sargent, StreetGames, and Youth Access. For more information please contact Yokeu@ncvys.org.uk