Help raise awareness of black and minority ethnic mental health issues
13/02/2012
Diverse Cymru would like to hear from young people from black and ethnic minority communities who are willing to talk about their experience of serious mental illness.
They are looking for young people to take part in a digital storytelling project where they can express opinions on their illness, their triggers, what's helped them, what changes they have made to their lives, how the people reacted when they were unwell and how they are treated now.
The digital stories workshops will be held in Cardiff on Wednesday February 22nd and Thursday February 23rd from 10.00am-3.00pm. If you are interested in taking part please contact: johngilheaney@hafal.org
Diverse Cymru is Wales' first equalities charity. Its aim is to combat inequality and discrimination in Wales. For more information please visit: http://www.diversecymru.org.uk/
Untreated teenage depression may lead to "lifelong health problems"
2/02/2012
Research by Cardiff University has highlighted the health problems teenagers who do not receive early treatment for symptoms of depression may face in their later lives.
Anita Thapar, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Cardiff University, says untreated teenage depression increases the risk of suicide, substance abuse and obesity; that it may lead to serious social and educational problems and can result in lifelong health problems.
She said: "Everyone tends to think teenagers are just moody or stressed but that is not the same as depression - there needs to be greater public awareness of this.
"The children I have seen have been the most severe - it's such a shame that they have to come to me earlier. We need to be looking at early intervention and prevention in high risk groups."
To read more about Professor Thapar's research, which is published in today's Lancet, please visit: http://tiny.cc/etdlh
MP warns of threat to children and young people's mental and psychological wellbeing
27/01/2012
Vale of Clwyd MP Chris Ruane has claimed children are under threat "like never before" and there are "dark clouds ahead" because of threats to their mental and psychological wellbeing.
The Labour MP this week secured a debate in which he raised concerns about what he says are the multiple dangers to wellbeing faced by children today, ranging from poverty to self-harm and screen violence.
He told MPs: "Our children are under threat like never before. In the past, threats to children were mainly physical. Many died in infancy, when working, or of diseases. The modern threat to our children and young people is more to their mental and psychological wellbeing.
"There are dark clouds ahead and we all need to monitor this area".
Tim Loughton, Conservative Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education, congratulated Mr Ruane on raising the subject but said research by the Children's Society found "90% of the young people who were interviewed are satisfied with their lives".
Responding to Mr Ruane's views a Welsh Government spokesman told the Western Mail: "We take children and young people's mental wellbeing seriously in Wales. It is important that young people know there is someone available to listen to their concerns and worries, whatever they may be.
"That's why we've put in place our successful school- based counselling strategy which the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) recently found is an integral part of school provision in Wales.
"We have also established Meic, our 24/7 confidential advocacy and advice helpline can offer support and guidance to young people when they need it most.
"Young people who self-harm are treated in accordance with National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) guidance. Every young person who has self-harmed would have a comprehensive assessment of needs and risk."
For more on this story please visit: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/
ChildLine sees "dramatic" increase in mental health-related calls
24/01/2012
ChildLine, the 24 hour counselling service, has revealed that calls from children and young people about mental health issues increased dramatically over the Christmas period.
Figures show that:
• "Calls on depression and mental health-related matters increased by 103% during Christmas 2011 (compared to Christmas 2010)."
• "Calls regarding self-harm and suicide increased by 62% and 57% respectively."
ChildLine President Esther Rantzen, said: "These figures clearly demonstrate how many distressed children depend on ChildLine, especially at times such as Christmas which is often particularly difficult for vulnerable young people.
"ChildLine is a vital life line for thousands of young people who desperately need support and advice on suicidal thoughts, self-harm, sexual abuse and mental illness."
To visit the ChildLine website, which has a mental health messageboard, please visit: http://www.childline.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx
Princes Trust warns of "devastating" effect of unemployment on young people's mental health
19/01/2012
The number of young people looking for work has hit a new record of 1.043m, taking the rate for 16-24 year-olds to 22.3%.
Commenting on the figures Martina Milburn, Chief Executive of the youth charity The Prince's Trust, said the situation was grave for young people.
She told the BBC: "Unemployment can have a devastating effect, not just on future job and wage prospects, but also damaging well-being and mental health.
"Our research shows that unemployed young people are feeling less confident about the future than they did this time last year. The Government must work together with charities and employers on courses that are proven to help young people into jobs."
For help with work-related activity please click here: http://www.hafal.org/hafal/shortstepsproject.php
"The Hidden Side of Sport"
11/01/12
A programme exploring the mental health issues faced by some of our top sports stars is on TV tonight.
Former England Cricketer Andrew Flintoff presents the programme, "The Hidden Side of Sport", which looks at the extreme highs and lows experienced by athletes in the public eye.
The programme features interviews with ex boxer Ricky Hatton and former footballer Vinnie Jones who both, like Flintoff, have had depression. It also contains an interview with former tabloid Editor Piers Morgan whose attitude to mental ill health is unsympathetic.
To see a clip of Flintoff interviewing Piers Morgan for "The Hidden Side of Sport", which is on BBC One at 2245 tonight, please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16423538
Have young people never had it so good?
06/01/2012
A leading Social Researcher has claimed that far from being increasingly "troubled" Britain's children and young people "have never had it so good".
In an intriguing article on the BBC website Paul Flatters argues that "a range of people - organisations, politicians and journalists - use terrible evidence, or in many cases no evidence at all, to perpetuate negative myths about the state of childhood and family life in the UK today."
To read Paul's article, which raises some very interesting points relating to the emotional well being of children and young people, please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16409882
Prince's Trust report highlights teenage stress
05/01/2012
A report by the Prince's Trust has claimed that a lack of structure in young people's lives means thousands of teenagers are growing up to become 'lost' young adults.
The Prince's Trust research found that more than half of young people in Wales feel stressed most, if not all of the time.
Bill Walden-Jones, Chief Executive of the Welsh mental health charity, Hafal, and Swansea Service User Kyle Thomas spoke about the report on ITV Wales last night.
To see the feature please visit: http://www.itv.com/wales/charity-warns-of-stress-and-depression-among-young-people00528/
To read the Prince's Trust report please visit: http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/about_the_trust/what_we_do/research/youth_index_2012.aspx
Hub supports plans to expand school-based counselling service
21/12/2011
The Welsh Government is currently consulting on whether to expand the excellent school-based counselling service in Wales.
The Government's White Paper consultation form on this issue contains a section which outlines proposals to expand the school-based counselling service so that "it places a duty upon local authorities to make reasonable provision for counselling services for registered pupils at secondary schools in their area and other young people aged 11-19 who belong to the local authority's area." (our italics).
Hafal's Young People's Information Hub has also produced a response to the consultation; we fully support plans to expand this excellent service.
For information on the consultation please visit: http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/education/schoolstandardsbill/?lang=en
Finally, the Hub and all Hafal staff would like to wish you a very happy Christmas and a healthy new year!
C.A.L.L. launches text messaging service
14.12.2011
C.A.L.L. (the mental health helpline for Wales) has launched a new service allowing people concerned about their mental health or that of a relative to access support and information via a text message from their mobile phone.
For more information please visit: http://callhelpline.org.uk/TextService.asp
Siblings Network: A space for brothers and sisters affected by mental illness
13/12/2011
A website for people with a brother or sister who is affected by mental illness has been set up by Hafal's sister charity in England, Rethink.
Olivia De Santos, Digital Communications Officer with Rethink, said: "We created the project because there aren't many resources for siblings at present. We've found that it has been a great way for siblings to share their experiences, swap advice and get information specifically designed to help them with the emotions they may face and the decisions they may need to make in the future regarding the support they provide to their sibling and family."
The website offers a lot of information and is well worth a look! Here's the link: www.rethink.org/siblings
Book reviews: "Jonny" and "Henry's Demons"
24/11/2011
"When I think back to that young lad playing mini rugby at Farnham, vomiting in the hedge through nerves, crying before games because he couldn't bear the thought of not getting it right, I wonder how much has changed."
Those are not the words you'd expect from a world-renowned rugby player but they come from the autobiography of England and British Lion hero Jonny Wilkinson.
In "Jonny; the autobiography" Wilkinson writes very openly about his experience of depression, panic attacks, self-harm and his obsessive desire (from an early age) to be the best rugby player in the world.
During a period when he was struggling to recover from injury Wilkinson writes: "My mind is totally preoccupied with anything it can find that is negative and destructive; and it causes me to feel panic and my heart to beat quicker. My possessiveness has vacated rugby completely and started to drive my thoughts downwards, tossing endless dark, nasty images through my head."
Wilkinson, who even admits that his anxiety was so acute he thought of "legging it" just hours before a big game against Wales, has been praised for his willingness to be so open about his depression. His book is worth reading as it highlights the pressures children and adults face in a status-driven society and how depression, self-harm, acute anxiety and panic attacks can hurt those you'd think least likely to be affected by such issues.
In "Henry's Demons" the journalist Patrick Coburn writes of his son Henry's experience of schizophrenia and of his journey towards understanding the changes in his son.
The book is a fascinating read for a number of reasons.
For example it shows how one person's illness can impact on so many people (when Henry goes missing the Police complain at the cost of searching for Henry) and how even the most well educated people know little about mental illness and, even if they do, are not willing to talk about it.
Patrick writes: "I found it astonishing that so many people I thought I knew well turned out to have close family members suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. I wondered why they had not spoken about it to me. Even now I find their silence a little surprising, since most of them were sophisticated and self-confident, not likely to be intimidated by the ‘stigma' attached to mental illness."
One of the best aspects of the book is that as well reading about Patrick's views and his journey to understanding, Henry also writes vividly about his own experiences of schizophrenia and what they mean to him.
For anyone wishing to learn more about schizophrenia and the effects it can have on a family "Henry's Demons" is an excellent starting point.
"Jonny: My autobiography", published by Headline.
"Henry's Demons: Living with Schizophrenia, a Father and Son's Story", Simon & Schuster Ltd.
Study shows "self-harm common in teenagers"
17/11/2011
A study published in leading medical journal "The Lancet" has claimed that one in 12 people self-harm in their teenage years.
For most people, the study states, the problem will resolve before adulthood but for 10% it will continue into their adult lives.
The study looked at almost 2,000 adolescents in Australia, repeatedly surveying them over a period of 15 years.
Researchers found that anxiety, depression, heavy alcohol use, cigarette smoking and cannabis use were all associated with self-harm. It stated that teenage girls are more likely to self-harm than boys and are at greater risk of continuing as young adults.
The study's authors said as 90% of teenagers who self-harmed stopped before they reached adulthood, the research should offer some reassurance to families, schools and clinicians.
However Marjorie Wallace, chief executive of the mental health charity SANE, told the BBC: "The figures showing that 90% have stopped by the time they reach their twenties should not seduce us into thinking that self harm is just a phase that young people will grow out of".
"Our research shows that counter to common perception, people self-harm and continue to self-harm at times throughout their lives to protect themselves from attempting suicide and their families and friends from experiencing their mental pain."
To read more on this story please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15759946
School-based counselling "an integral part of school provision in Wales"
7/11/2011
A report evaluating the effectiveness of school-based counselling in Wales has found that young people, teaching staff, local authorities and counsellors have all expressed high overall levels of satisfaction with the service.
The need for school-based counselling was first expressed by the Children's Commissioner for Wales in the Clywch Inquiry Report (2004): he said that all young people in schools should have a trusted adult to talk to about their concerns.
The survey, by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), found that:
• Approximately 85% of young people using the service felt more positive about going to school and more able to cope since going to counselling. In particular they valued: the ease of access to services, being able to talk openly and honestly to someone who is trustworthy and understanding, confidentiality and gaining in self-confidence as a result of counselling.
• Amongst the counsellors surveyed there was strong agreement that school counselling was an integral part of school provision, and that the counselling service was recognised and valued by school staff, parents and pupils.
• Teachers showed high levels of agreement that counselling services met the needs of pupils, whilst in addition there had been little impact on staff workload.
Laurie Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy said: "The Welsh Government, through its national strategy for school-based counselling, has demonstrated commitment to the emotional health and well-being of young people. The report strongly evidences the role that counselling plays in helping young people achieve their potential".
Funding of £4.5m in 2011-12 has been made available from the Welsh Government for the implementation of the national strategy for school-based counselling and all local authorities now have counselling provision in place.
For more information on school-based counselling services in Wales please visit: http://tiny.cc/fn8j1
Children's Commissioner for Wales: "We still have a way to go"
04/11/2011
In his fourth annual report Children's Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler has said that although there has been progress in the provision of mental health services for young people in Wales during the last year "we still have a long way to go before all young people across Wales can confidently expect to receive appropriate treatment in a timely manner as close to their homes as possible."
In his report the Commissioner said:
• "In relation to the Mental Health (Wales) Measure there is a question of the ability of children and young people to access services via routes other than GPs (perhaps via school counselling services) which needs addressing in rolling out the legislation."
• He "welcomed the growing priority given to CAMHS and the fact that the recommendations of the Wales Audit Office and Health Inspectorate Wales' report Services for Children and young people with emotional and mental health needs are included within the action plan ‘Breaking the Barriers'."
• "This Measure has the potential to contribute much to the delivery of CAMHS strategy in Wales. There is a need, however, to ensure a coordinated approach between the delivery model which relates to the Measure, the Welsh Government's Delivery Assurance Group tasked with driving forward the national action plan for CAMHS (Breaking the Barriers) and the National Expert Reference Group for CAMHS. Only if this happens can we progress and implement the principles outlined within Everyone's Business."
• He "welcomed the additional funding of ￡1.7million that has been allocated to support the provision of CAMHS services to children and young people with learning disabilities."
• He also "welcomed the opening of the inpatient CAMHS unit in North Wales and the near completion of the new unit in South Wales." However he added: "I have been made aware by my Investigation and Advice Officers that we have dealt with cases where children are still being admitted to adult wards and where the South Wales unit has been closed to new admissions on occasions."
The Commissioner concluded his views on mental health services by writing: "I am pleased with much of what I have seen this year but I continue to monitor developments and progress with great interest.
"I would expect the Minister to require the CAMHS delivery assurance group to provide clear advice and guidance to her in relation to the effectiveness of local health boards' CAMHS action plans."
To download the report please visit: http://www.childcomwales.org.uk/uploads/publications/273.pdf
To read the report's press release please visit: http://www.childcom.org.uk/uploads/publications/275.pdf
Be an ‘Epic Friend'!
28/10/2011
An excellent new website, Epic Friends, has been set up to help young people with a serious mental illness.
Funded by the Children's Hospital Charity in Sheffield, it aims to provide clear information for young people about what to do if they suspect their friends are feeling anxious, depressed or troubled in some way.
The website defines an "Epic Friend" as a friend who notices a problem and is prepared to listen.
Gill Crow, consultant Clinical Psychologist from Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, had the idea for the website and developed the content.
She told the BBC: "Young people often turn to their friends. Friends are the ones who notice if they are not eating or becoming reclusive and not going out. They talk more to their peer group than their parents at that age, although parents can underestimate how important they can be.
"Adolescence is a very difficult time of life. A lot of young people will be feeling anxious about something. The danger is that they get into a negative spiral, becoming more and more anxious."
To visit the Epic Friends website please visit: http://epicfriends.co.uk/
To read more on the story please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15403142
Health Minister: "There's so much pressure on young people nowadays."
6/10/2011
Health and Social Services Minister Lesley Griffiths AM has spoken exclusively to John Gilheaney from Hafal's Young People's Information Hub about a range of issues relating to young people and serious mental illness.
Ms Griffiths, who was appointed Health Minister in May, spoke on topics including the importance of early intervention, services such as Meic and Flying Start, overcoming stigma and her understanding of the pressures facing young people.
Here's what she said...
JOHN GILHEANEY: At a recent conference in Cardiff on "Minimising self-harm - preventing suicide" Dr David Williams, CAMHS Adviser to the Welsh Government, said: "25% of females and 40% of male school-age children have considered suicide in the last year. That equates to approximately 180,000 young people in Wales. 75% have gone as far as thinking about a plan, that's about 120,000. If my specialist service were to deal with that we'd need another 3,000 CAMHS professionals to take that as a caseload." What do you think of Mr Williams' comments?
LESLEY GRIFFITHS: They gave a lot of food for thought. I think the message has to be that suicide prevention is not the sole preserve of specialist NHS services; professionals have to work together right across primary care and education as well as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
We've introduced really good schemes to help young people. For example ‘Meic' is an excellent advice helpline for children and young people up to the age of 25. It's easy to use and very young-people friendly; they can SMS, visit the website or e-mail. Schemes such as Meic, which are designed to support and listen to children and young people, are excellent because they put young people in touch with different organisations.
There have been significant improvements in CAMHS services over the past three years. Before I was elected I worked for Ian Lucas, the Wrexham MP, and I remember that young people's services weren't as good as we would have wanted. We've invested in young people's mental health services and we need to keep on doing so, for example in issues such as eating disorders, because conditions like these can lead on to other mental health issues.
Within the Deputy Minister's portfolio we also have schemes such as Flying Start and Families First; we've got the new integrated family support services which are being rolled out, too. I think schemes like these, which work with families and young children, will help children grow up and grow into adulthood.
JOHN GILHEANEY: Do you think that ultimately a focus on youth is the key to improving mental health services because of a) the importance of early intervention and b) tackling stigma? Do you think young people are the people we really need to target?
LESLEY GRIFFITHS: Absolutely. When I began working in the health service just over thirty years ago there was a certain stigma attached to mental health illness which I think has been broken down. If we can educate our young people who tend to be a bit crueller when they're faced with someone a little bit different, that will really help.
It's also very important for our young people to know that if they're having mental health issues they're not alone. It's a really tough time; it was certainly tough when I was a teenager. I've got one child who will soon be eighteen and a 21-year-old, too, and I know from them and their friends of the difficulties they're facing; there's so much more pressure on young people nowadays which leads to anxiety, so the more we can educate young people the better.
The full interview, which will cover topics including the Mental Health (Wales) Measure, ring-fencing and Care and Treatment Plans, will appear in the next edition of the Mental Health Wales journal which is out in October.
Today's students have "greater risk of anxiety and depression"
30/9/2011
A report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) has warned that the current generation of students have a greater risk of anxiety and depression than previous ones.
One of the report's authors, Dr John Callender, told the BBC: "Many are having to work long hours in paid work on top of full-time academic studies. Many are also less well-supported by their families than was the case in years gone by.
"The reasons for this are things like increased rates of marital breakdown and students being drawn from poorer social backgrounds."
He added there are also intense social pressures for many young people, living away from home and trying to live up to the expectation that these years should be a happy and sociable time.
The RCP wants academic staff to receive more training, and greater incentives for GPs interested in running dedicated health services for students.
To read more on this story please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15112980
Childhood abuse "doubles risk of long-lasting episodes of depression"
15/08/2011
Research by the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London has suggested that childhood abuse doubles the risk of adults developing multiple and long-lasting episodes of depression.
The research, which was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, also suggested that patients who received abuse as a child are less likely to respond to treatment.
Researchers reviewed 16 studies, on a total of more than 23,000 patients, and found that maltreatment in childhood - such as rejection by the mother, harsh physical treatment or sexual abuse - significantly increased the risk of depression in later life.
Commenting on the study, Bill Walden-Jones, Chief Executive of the Welsh mental health charity, Hafal, said: "It isn't surprising that people who face difficulty as children have more intractable mental health problems in adulthood. Obviously the most important matter to address is the protection of young people from abuse in the first instance.
"We also need to remember that when adults have problems arising from difficult childhoods it will typically not be sufficient to offer them ‘light touch' talking therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) aimed at addressing symptoms or dishabituating them from certain types of behaviour.
"Instead, patients will need in-depth counselling or psychotherapy which will allow them to come to terms with their problems. There isn't a quick fix."
For more on this story please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14503479
First mental health course for young people takes place this month
11/08/2011
Wales’ first self-management course for young people with a serious mental illness will take place at the end of this month.
Run by the Mental Health Foundation, the course has been developed and will be delivered by people who have had a psychiatric diagnosis. The course is designed to help those with a long-term mental illness take control of their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
The programme was inspired by Lily Horley, 20, who spoke of the need for a course specifically aimed at younger people after attending one with people twice her age.
Lily, who lives in Cardiff, first started receiving treatment for depression when she was 18. She is currently taking mood stabilisers and anti-psychotic medicines although she has not had a formal diagnosis. Her health problems forced her to drop out of college and she became homeless. She learned about the adult courses while staying at a hostel.
“Nothing had helped until then and I decided to give it a go,” Lily told the Western Mail. “Everyone else on the course was much older than me. I remember asking at the end why there was nothing like this for younger people.
“I asked the boss of the course if I were to get 20 people of my age from Cardiff whether they’d put on a course.
“If people were able to get on a course not long after they were diagnosed, then they wouldn’t have a decade of going through hell.”
The first young people’s course, for people aged 18 to 30, will be held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on August 24 and 25. Subsequent courses will be held at the Ramada Jarvis in Wrexham on October 3 and 4 and in Aberystwyth at the end of October.
All courses are free to attend and travel costs are paid.
Anyone eligible and wishing to attend should contact Jane Wycherley on 01633 415 434 or email jwycherley@mhf.org.uk
To read more on this story please visit: http://tiny.cc/ptnyp
£15m young people's unit opens in Bridgend
26/07/2011
A £15m purpose-built mental health unit for young people with serious mental illnesses has opened at the Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend.
Ty Llidiard is the new home for 19 young men and women (aged 12 - 18 years) who have a variety of mental health illnesses.
Although the construction project has been managed by ABM Health Board, the unit itself is run by Cwm Taf Health Board for patients from across South Wales. Commenting on the opening, Dr Christopher Jones, Chairman of Cwm Taf Health Board, said: "It is really important that our young people have modern and appropriate facilities to support their treatment and recovery at a very vulnerable point in their lives. This unit will ensure that the staff are able to provide the wide range of therapies and support in facilities that they deserve."
For more information on the construction of Ty Llidiard please visit: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/863/news/19709
"Improving CAMHS remains a high priority"
20/07/2011
A paper which outlines Health and Social Services Minister Lesley Griffiths' priorities for the Assembly, including legislation and other manifesto commitments, has been presented to the Welsh Government's Health and Social Care Committee.
In relation to mental health services the paper states: "Improving Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Wales remains a high priority, with the need to develop consistent services which are accessible to all young people. Within the last year, a national action plan to improve children's mental health services has been launched. We will continue to strengthening the range of CAMHS, including access to specialist services for both older adolescents and young people.
"In relation to adult mental health services, we are already working to implement the Mental Health Measure and the Dementia Vision document. We are also examining closely the findings of the Wales Audit Office Report published last week and will be using the information it contains to prepare a new strategic framework for Mental Health services in Wales."
Commenting on the paper Hafal's Young People's Information Officer John Gilheaney said: "Although there have been improvements to CAMHS in recent years by common consent there is a long way to go before the young people of Wales have the services they deserve. It is reassuring to read that improving CAMHS remains a top priority."
"Neglecting the issue"
15/07/2011
A report by the charity Action for Children has claimed that up to 62,000 children in Wales are neglected because they are "trapped in poverty or are being cared for by parents battling alcohol and drug addiction or mental health problems".
Barbara Street, Action for Children's Operational Director in Wales, told the Western Mail many neglected youngsters simply fall under the radar.
She said: "62,000 neglected children in 2011 is unthinkable but that is the scale of the problem in Wales. Neglect is widespread and still goes unnoticed. We have clear issues to tackle.
"It is not complicated or difficult. We are all responsible for the problem and we just need to do it or we will see many more families struggling and children being ignored."
In today's report, "Neglecting the Issue", the charity says more services and advice should be available for fathers to support their relationship with their children.Research shows children with highly involved fathers have fewer behavioral problems, do better at school and have greater self-esteem.
Commenting on the report, Children's Commissioner for Wales Keith Towler said: "While this report contains some useful pointers, I believe the most critical point is that it takes a collective response to tackle child neglect. Responsibility doesn't just rest with government, social services and the police - we all have a responsibility to keep every child safe."
To read more on this story please visit: http://tiny.cc/z0fh9
For information on Action for Children please visit: http://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/
Statistics "appear" to show improvement in children and adolescents mental health services
05/07/2011
Statistics from Durham University have found that mental health services for children and adolescents in Wales "appear" to be showing signs of improvement.
The university's findings on the provision of Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Specialist CAMHS) provides data collected between 2007-2011.
Key findings include:
• An increase of 25% in the workforce between 2007-11. Nurses, including community nurses, made up the largest staff group within that workforce (33% of the total).
• A growth in the number of cases worked with and consultations carried out.
• A reduction in the number of people waiting to be seen.
• A reduction in the length of wait for people to be seen.
• A reduction in lengthy treatment times.
Commenting on the findings Health and Social Services Minister, Lesley Griffiths AM said: "We owe it to our children and young people to give them a good start in life, and prioritising their mental health is vital.
"About 10% of people under the age of 16 experience mental health problems, ranging from brief or mild problems to more severe mental illness.
"Early recognition of mental health problems and the availability of appropriate treatment, is key if we are to give children and adolescents the best chance in life.
"Since 2008, we have invested an extra £9.6million in specialist mental health services for children and young people and allocated £8million to the development of school-based counselling services.
"Investment in prevention and health improvement plays a major part in our strategy to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people. In May this year we met our One Wales commitment to provide one school nurse in every secondary school. School nurses are central to a range of services that promote and support the social, physical, emotional and mental health of our children and young people.
"It is clear from the results of the CAMHS report that our policies and continued investment in our children and young people are improving the picture for those needing help with mental health issues. We will continue to do everything possible to ensure the right services are in place for those young people who need them."
Despite the Minister's positive words the data from Durham University has been reported with a note of caution. The Welsh Government's press release states that: "Annual snapshot data has been collected for three years (2007-08, 2008-09 and 2010-11) on the NHS provision of Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Specialist CAMHS) in Wales. While the findings of this report should be read with care, the mapping exercises would appear to chart a picture of expansion and change in Specialist CAMHS."
Responding to the news Hafal's Young People's Information Officer, John Gilheaney, said: "This is good news which is to be welcomed.
"However, I think it's also fair to say that there is a still a lot more to do in improving the provision of CAMHS services across Wales. Only last week, at a conference on suicide and self harm in Cardiff, CAMHS' Welsh Government adviser David Williams spoke of a shortfall in the number of CAMHS workers in Wales."
The results of the CAMHS Mapping Wales Exercise will be published at http://www.camhsmappingcymru.org.uk/
To read the news story featuring Dr David Williams - "25%of females and 40% of male, school-age children have considered suicide in the last year." please visit: http://www.hafal.org/hafal/yp_news.php
"25% of females and 40% of male, school-age children have considered suicide in the last year."
1/07/2011
A conference examining how to reduce levels of suicide and self-harm in young people in Wales has heard that "25% of females and 40% of male, school-age children have considered suicide in the last year."
The event "Minimising self-harm - preventing suicide", which was held at the All Nations Centre, Cardiff, was attended by service users and professionals and featured a range of speakers covering topics such as: "Working therapeutically with students in distress: the importance of dialogue" and "Supporting the professional: training and support at the frontline."
Introducing the event Conference Chair, Phil Chick, MH Development Lead, National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Health, said: "July 1st technically marks the halfway point through the lifespan of ‘Talk to me: A national action plan to reduce suicide and self harm in Wales 2008-2013' so this event is timely. User participation underpins what we're doing in Wales in relation to reducing self-harm and suicide; we have a whole nation approach which involves professionals, statutory services and the third sector. It's also important to stress that community participation, and how to ensure that happens, is crucial to our approach."
The event included a presentation from Dr David Williams, CAMHS Adviser to the Welsh Government. Dr Williams spoke on the importance of early intervention for young people with a serious mental illness.
He said: "The importance of early intervention can be summed up in one word - very."
He added: "25% of females and 40% of male school-age children have considered suicide in the last year. That equates to approximately 180,000 young people in Wales. 75% have gone as far as thinking about a plan, that's about 120,000. If my specialist service were to deal with that we'd need another 3,000 CAMHS professionals to take that as a caseload.
"Currently there are 320 people across Wales providing community CAMHS services and that's a caseload for about 3,200 young people so the plan to encourage community intervention makes a lot of sense."
Hafal's Young People's Information Officer, John Gilheaney, who attended the event said: "The seminar reinforced the principle that the mental health of young people in Wales is, as the Welsh Government's 2001 strategy stated, "Everybody's Business". Dr Williams' presentation also reminded, and made clear to all, that resources for the care of young people with a serious mental illness in Wales are severely limited. It will be interesting to see how the new Health and Social Services Minister, Lesley Griffiths AM, tackles this problem."
John said that one of the most interesting speakers on the day was Clare Shaw, Director and Training Partner of harm-ed, a user-led organisation which offers training on all aspects of self-harm.
He said: "Clare said that the most important aspect of her recovery was finding people who were sympathetic, supportive, warm and respectful towards her. She said that the service staff who helped her the most were not the most highly qualified but instead were those that had great, basic human qualities. She highlighted the importance of positive staff attitudes."
For information on harm-ed please visit: www.harm-ed.co.uk
To read Talk to Me please click here: http://tiny.cc/oh2ia
To read Everybody's Business (2001), the Welsh Government Strategy Document on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services please click here: http://tiny.cc/wny87
Hafal awarded Welsh Language Board funding to "Spread the Word"
24/06/2011
Welsh mental health charity Hafal, five-times-in-a-row winner of the prestigious Welsh Language in Healthcare Award, has won funding from the Welsh Language Board to raise awareness of its comprehensive, bilingual Welsh-language information service for young people.
The aim of Hafal's "Lledaenu'r Gair / Spread the Word" initiative is to fully publicise its comprehensive Welsh-language information service and increase take-up of Hafal's Welsh language materials, particularly among young people.
The funding will enable Hafal to:
• Produce a marketing leaflet and target at least 50 young people's organisations across Wales to promote its Welsh language materials. This leaflet will advertise Hafal's extensive online Welsh-language resources and point out the importance of providing people with information on mental health in their preferred language.
• Issue three E-bulletins, each to reach at least 100 relevant organisations. Each E-bulletin will highlight a particular aspect of Hafal's Welsh-language information service.
Commenting on the award, Hafal Chief Executive Bill Walden-Jones said: "It's very important that young people with a mental illness have access to information in the language they are comfortable with. We are delighted to receive this funding which will enable us to highlight our Welsh language information and raise awareness of our bilingual resources among young people."
Hafal currently runs this Big Lottery-funded Young People's Information Hub which was set up in order to fill a large gap in information provision to young people with a serious mental illness and their families/carers.
Mental health service transitions for young people - SCIE research briefing
24/06/2011
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has published a very useful briefing which looks at recent research literature (since 2000) on the transition from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to adults' services for young people with psychological, emotional or behavioural problems.
This briefing asks:
•What do professionals, young people, parents, carers and families think about mental health service transitions and what has their experience been?
•What evidence is there for good practice and service models in supporting successful service transitions?
Key messages include:
•Moving from child and adolescent mental health services to adult services is difficult for many young people, their parents and carers.
•Recurrent problems include limited participation of young people, high eligibility thresholds for entry into adult mental health services and inconsistent support during transition. This leads to some young people ceasing to use services until a crisis occurs.
•Service transition is a process, and needs to take account of the wider context of young people's lives, including education, employment, housing and overall health needs.
•Young people, their families and carers want their views to be taken seriously and to participate actively in the process of transition. They value good information, consistent support from a key worker and flexible, non-stigmatising community-based services appropriate for their age group.
For more information and to download a copy of the publication please visit: http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/briefings/briefing37/index.asp
Mental health guidebook to be issued to footballers
09/06/2011
To increase awareness of mental health amongst Britain's top footballers, players in the four main football divisions will be issued with The Footballers' Guidebook at the start of next season.
"Talking about mental-health problems has traditionally been one of sport's great taboos," says Burnley defender and PFA chairman Clarke Carlisle. "When the boxer Frank Bruno was sectioned under the Mental Health Act, the press ran the headline 'Bonkers Bruno locked up' and, given this attitude, it is unsurprisingly very rare for sportsmen and sportswomen to 'come out' about mental ill health voluntarily.
"Many players may not actually recognise what it is or know how to seek help. I think this guidebook is groundbreaking for players and it takes the first steps towards talking about mental health in professional football."
For more information on The Footballers Guidebook please visit: http://tiny.cc/bpp66
Self-harm figures "may be the tip of the iceberg"
06/05/2011
Statistics from the 2011 Children and Young People's Wellbeing Monitor for Wales (CYPWMW) which show that admissions for young people in Wales who self-harm have risen have been described as "alarming".
According to the CYPWMW, which examines data on issues such as education, health and tackling poverty and covers the lives of Welsh children from birth until the age of 25, hospital admissions for self-harm in Wales have increased, particularly among 15-17-year-old girls, from approximately 650 incidents per 100,000 people in 2003-2005 to approximately 900 per 100,000 in 2006-2008.
Commenting on the statistics Paula Lavis, Policy and Knowledge Manager of the mental health charity Young Minds , said: "These figures highlight how big an issue self-harming is among some young people.
"This may only be the tip of the iceberg as they only cover hospital admissions, so do not include the many young people who do not come to the attention of services."
To read more on this story please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-13268255
To find out more on Young Minds please visit: http://www.youngminds.org.uk/
To read the "2011 Children and Young People's Wellbeing Monitor for Wales" please visit: http://tiny.cc/sb0z0
"Voices of Children and Young People in Wales Study"
28/04/2011
Hafal Chief Executive Bill Walden-Jones has said the authors of the recently published "Voices of Children and Young People in Wales Study" should be "congratulated for letting children and young people speak for themselves."
Writing in his blog, Bill stated:
"Having just happily revisited childhood in my last post I find a lot of interesting stuff to look at in the latest Assembly Government ‘Children and Young People's Wellbeing Monitor'.
"I was particularly struck by the supplementary report ‘Voices of Children and Young People in Wales Study' which presents a series of quotations from children and young people, many of them penetrating.
"I hope the writers of the report, who should be congratulated for letting children and young people speak for themselves, will not mind me saying that their line of questions (evidently set in the strange language of ‘wellbeing') is comprehensively trumped by the more expansive responses they received.
"The section on psychological wellbeing (page 48) is not the most interesting in terms of insight into that very issue because the answers to practical, ‘real' questions about family, friends, money, and so on unsurprisingly yield much more depth.
"The section on ambitions for the future is the best, illustrating the decline with age from a clear and lucid goal."
To read Bill's Blog please visit: http://billwaldenjones.blogspot.com/
To read the "Voices of Children and Young People in Wales Study" please visit: http://wales.gov.uk/docs/caecd/research/110328voicescyp.pdf
Children and Young People's Wellbeing Monitor for Wales published
18/04/2011
The second Children and Young People's Wellbeing Monitor for Wales has just been published.
The aim of the Monitor is to report on the wellbeing of children and young people (ages 0-25) using a wide range of information and research including the voices of children and young people themselves.
The Monitor is based on themes taken from the Assembly Government's seven core aims for children and young people which are as follows:
• have a flying start in life;
• have a comprehensive range of education and learning opportunities;
• enjoy the best possible health and are free from abuse, victimisation and exploitation;
• have access to play, leisure, sporting and cultural activities;
• are listened to, treated with respect, and have their race and cultural identity recognised;
• have a safe home and community which supports physical and emotional wellbeing; and
• are not disadvantaged by poverty.
The monitor includes statistics on a range of issues including mental health and self harm.
Some of the findings presented in the monitor are, in the words of the authors "challenging", for example, hospital admissions for self-harm amongst young people have risen over recent years.
To download a copy of the monitor please visit: http://tiny.cc/sb0z0
Hafal issues statement on Catherine Zeta Jones' treatment for bipolar disorder
14/04/2011
It has been widely reported in the media today that Welsh actress Catherine Zeta Jones has received treatment for bipolar disorder following the stress of dealing with her husband's recent illness.
Commenting on these news reports, Alun Thomas, Deputy Chief Executive of the Welsh mental health charity Hafal said:
"It's been stated that Catherine has bipolar ll, an illness which causes significant mood swings.
"This means that unlike bipolar l - which causes extreme mania and depression where people can become detached from reality - Catherine is likely to have had racing thoughts, mood swings, been easily distracted and had episodes of quite major depression. Life stress can be a cause for bipolar ll and in Catherine's case that has been reported this year.
"Catherine is fortunate that she was able to identify she was ill and had a facility where she could get timely help. In Wales there are recognised methods of treatment, one of which is looking at a Whole Person Approach which identifies that people with bipolar need more than medication and talking therapies.
"A Whole Person Approach looks at all areas of a person's life in order to give them the best opportunity to recover. For example, if someone is living in poor quality housing this could exacerbate their condition so the Whole Person Approach would seek to find ways in which the individual's housing situation could be improved.
"When someone in Wales has bipolar disorder statutory and voluntary sector services need to work together to ensure people are able to take control of their lives.
"Many creative people have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder; people like Stephen Fry, Carrie Fisher, Florence Nightingale and Frank Bruno; there are many people out there who have had the illness and, most importantly, recovered and gone on to lead productive lives.
"The fact that Catherine is due to return to work shows that people with bipolar disorder can, with the right treatment, recover and return to living a valued and productive life."
To read Hafal's "Introduction to Bipolar Disorder" please visit: http://www.hafal.org/hafal/pdf/Bilingual%20Bipolar%201%20update%20July%202010_Layout%201.pdf
To read "12 Lives" a publication which features 12 people talking very openly about their experience of serious mental illness, including bipolar disorder, please visit: http://www.hafal.org/hafal/pdf/English_12_Lives.pdf
"Everybody's Business remains key strategic document for young people"
11/04/2011
Following a meeting between Hafal and Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) adviser Dr. David Williams to discuss progress on the 2010 "Breaking the Barriers: Meeting the Challenges", report on young people's mental health services, the young people's info hub can report that:
• The new CAMHS inpatient unit in South Wales is to open in Summer 2011.
• CAMHS provision for all under 18s across Wales, regardless of educational status, is on track to be developed by the end of March 2012.
• The development of a new specialised forensic CAMHS team is in process which will provide designated mental health support for young offenders in Parc Prison.
• The National Expert Reference Group and the National Delivery Group to monitor and oversee the implementation of the Action Plan are currently being established, and service user involvement in these groups will be key.
Dr. Williams, CAMHS Professional Advisor to WAG, confirmed to Gavin Williams, Hafal's Young People's Lead, that WAG's 2001 strategy document "Everybody's Business" remains the key strategic document outlining the vision, values and direction of CAMHS in Wales while the Action Plan outlines how this vision is to be implemented in practical terms.
Commenting on Dr Williams' remarks Gavin said: "Because ‘Breaking the Barriers' is interim in nature it is vital that the Mental Health (Wales) Measure, which is age-blind, ensures that young people have a right to access comprehensive, holistic care plans which will translate into earlier intervention because this has been shown to have positive outcomes."
Hart announces funding for CAMHS
21/03/2011
Health Minister Edwina Hart has announced £1.678m funding for child and adolescent mental health (CAHMS) and learning disabilities services running up to 2013-14.
The funding includes £258,000 of one-off funding in the current year [2010-11] and a further £1.42m of recurrent funding to 2013/14. The one off funding will be made available immediately for CAHMS networks across Wales to provide training and share existing models of good practice, support and resources.
The Welsh Assembly Government says the funding will, overall:
• enable earlier interventions;
• provide flexibility of provision and transition between children's and adult mental health services and integrated disabilities services;
• increase clarity for providers when making referrals, and;
• meet the commitment