We are a Chester based charity started in 2017, offering counselling and play therapy support to families; adults (parents/carers), children and young people living in relative poverty who are experiencing mental health issues. We focus on families rather than individuals and believe that improving a parent's mental health can have a significant impact on their children. We want to strengthen family relationships and create more stable and nurturing environments for children. Our aim is to stop the cycle of poor mental health being passed down from one generation to the next and through early intervention, to stop poor mental health becoming a life-long disability.
The clients we work with often struggle to access other mental health provision because they’re deemed unsuitable, not ready for counselling or have had difficulties engaging - perhaps because they’re required to travel to appointments. Statutory mental health services are under pressure and the threshold for being seen is also very high, with long wait times for those who do make it through. This means many of the most vulnerable people, living with a combination of poverty and poor mental health, fail to access any help.
During summer term 2021, we piloted a self- referral project aimed Year 10 and 11 pupils in a local High school. As well as giving pupils increased autonomy, the self-referral option allowed those young people who may have beeen struggling silently without parent/carer or school being aware, to access help with mental health issues. Feedback from both pupils and the school during the pilot was very positive. Young people felt more autonomous and in control of how and when they accessed mental health support.
Support from Pixel Fund, is allowing us to extend this pilot to cover more year groups in the school and subject to demand, potentially extend the self-referral option to pupils at another local high school over the coming 12 months.
“It really has made a difference because like I was really suicidal before I started and I don’t know if I would be here if I didn’t get the help when I did and how I did.” Young person