Over the past year, support from The Pixel Fund has helped The Windmill Trust continue providing specialist, creative 1:1 therapy to children and young people experiencing complex emotional and mental health difficulties across West Cumbria.
The grant contributed towards the cost of our therapeutic work, helping us provide children and young people with the time, consistency and trusted relationships they need. Our HCPC-registered Arts Therapists use creative, developmentally appropriate approaches, providing children with different ways to explore and express their experiences when words are too much or not enough. This is particularly important for children whose needs may be too complex for short-term or lower-level interventions.
We have seen some wonderful progress. Paired outcome data from 20 children and young people showed that 95% improved in Relationships, Energy & Dreams and Social Involvement, while 100% improved in Communication and Being Authentic. No child or young person showed deterioration in any area measured.
Behind those figures are individual children and families experiencing very real changes. One young person told us: “I have felt less anxious overall and I’m able to cope with bereavement easier.”
And one parent described how their child: “has learned to express his anger in a constructive way rather than violent and aggressive.”
Working alongside parents and carers remains an important part of our approach too. One parent told us that the support had helped them understand their child's needs and had “helped us grow stronger in our relationship.”
We are incredibly grateful to The Pixel Fund for investing in our work and helping us continue to provide long-term, specialist therapeutic support to children, young people and families in West Cumbria.