'Maintaining mental health in children and young people'
LEAD ORGANISATION
DATE
8 July 2009
PROJECT SUMMARY
Progress South Central sponsored Bucks New University to deliver a conference 'Maintaining mental health in children and young people' in July 2009. The conference was run by Bucks New University's Faculty of Society & Health in conjunction with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and the Child Bereavement Charity. The event was organised following discussion with students on the Foundation degrees in Early Years and Working with Children and Young People and their mentors. The intention was to raise awareness around progression through higher education and also to encourage students to take on mentor roles in the future.
The conference aimed to highlight the valuable role of the practitioner in providing effective support around mental health problems in children and young people, give delegates the opportunity to share good practice and learning with other mentors and encourage existing students to take on future mentor roles.
The morning featured presentations from Helen Ritzema of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, from Carolyn Painter of the Child Bereavement Charity and from Sandra Bailey on self-harming behaviour. Afternoon workshops were offered in:
- Supporting children experiencing loss and bereavement
- Supporting adolescents who are exhibiting signs of self harming behaviour
- The issues around emotional deprivation from birth to five
- Mentorship - sharing information and experiences and reinforcing good practice
IMPACT
33 delegates attended on the day. The attendees were mainly students on the above work-based learning foundation degrees, along with some potential new students.
The evaluations from the delegates were extremely positive, all giving either 'Good' or 'Excellent' for the overall conference. All delegates indicated that the conference had been relevant to them and had met their expectations. 90% of those responding agreed that the conference had inspired them to progress further with their HE studies or to start a foundation degree.
There were many comments about the warm atmosphere on the day and delegates felt able to ask questions of course leaders about other courses and there were three potential students who have subsequently applied to do the Foundation degree in Working with Children and Young People. There was a very good response by partners and the senior management team at Bucks New University with representatives attending the day and talking to the students. One student commented that she had been unsure whether or not to come, but was really impressed and would both come again and recommend it to others if it were re-run in subsequent years.