[Skip to content]

Listen to our site| Site map| Switch to text only| Change the screen width| print friendly| Larger text| Normal text| Smaller text|
.

Listen Up! A project by the Mental Health Foundation

Aberdeen Foyer Artwork

Despite significant increases in the rates of anxiety and depression among children and young people, their level of contact with services remains low. 

 

Left unresolved, mental health problems can significantly affect children and young people’s social and educational development.

 

We have been working for six years on a project to find out what young people want from their services and how to get young people in contact with them.

 

The Project

 

This six year project about young people consisted of two phases. The first phase was called Youth Crisis 1 (2002-2004). For this, we consulted young people to find out what they wanted from services when they were experiencing mental health problems. 

 

The consultation was hosted by four organisations and we talked to almost 200 young people across the UK. Young people identified a wish list which included: 

 

  • fast-track access to treatment and care

  • the opportunity for each young person to build a rapport with one person to guide them through services

  • greater sensitivity from service professionals in times of crisis

  • alternatives to medication

  • preventative strategies and access to resources prior to crisis point.

Useful links

 

 

 

 

 

The second phase of the project is called Listen Up! (2004-2007). We worked with eight partner sites willing to take responsive, creative and new approaches to their work, especially in relation to the 'wish list' identified in Youth Crisis 1.

 

Through the eight sites, we consulted with young people to explore in greater depth young people’s actual experiences of using services. 

 

Participants were asked to explain what parts of the service worked well and what could be improved, in terms of its environment and the staff working there.

 

They were asked to describe why they used the service and what prevented them from disengaging from it.  They were also asked to compare the service they were using at the time to ones they were no longer attending.

 

All the findings and recommendations are discussed in the final report, Listen Up!

 

Back to top

 

Listen Up! Report

 

The report discusses the findings from the project and shows that the voluntary sector is providing the kind of mental health services that young people want – flexible, informal and holistic – but often in the face of chronic funding shortages.

 

We also provide a number of recommendations to the Government and commissioners.  These include the need for:

 

  • serious backing for voluntary sector providers of young people’s mental health care

  • changes in the way in which Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are delivered.

 

 

Back to top

 

Launch event

 

The report is being launched in Birmingham in September 2007. Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the Children's Commissioner for England will give a keynote speech at the event.

 

He says:

 

“The mental health of young people concerns us all – nurseries, schools, youth clubs, in fact anywhere that children and young people spend their time.

 

Research shows there are very many young people with early signs of mental health problems who need help, ranging from someone to talk to whom they can trust, to intensive treatment for those who are severely affected.

 

“The voluntary sector has a vital role to play in supporting young people with emotional difficulties and they need continuity of funding to help them fulfil that role.”

 

The programme for the day also includes workshops and presentations from young people and managers from the sites involved in the project. More information about the sites.

 

There will also a exhibition of the artwork by young people created through the project.
More information about the artwork.

 

Back to top