Our ambition is to change how the charitable sector delivers integrated care and early intervention.
We have been working to integrate health and social care interventions, particularly in our mental health and wellbeing services, for many years. We know that good health is about creating and sustaining physical, mental, social and environmental wellbeing. By moving to a personalised model of care in community mental health & wellbeing services and social prescribing schemes, we can embed that sustained wellbeing.
Why it's important
This shift is vital if the health system is to meet the challenges ahead and make health inequalities a thing of the past. The impact of the pandemic created the need for urgency in moving towards a more integrated system, to create better outcomes for more children. An effective system of early intervention and support has never been more critical.
With the changes to the way local health and social care services are managed, overseen and delivered, we have the opportunity of a lifetime to work with the NHS, commercial sector and other charities to inform the approach and deliver real, vitally needed change.
How we're working with others to change the system
We already have extensive experience in the provision of integrated care that places the needs of the child at the heart of the system. Alongside the passionate partners we work with, we look at a child or young person holistically. We connect and collaborate with organisations to improve the overall health and wellbeing of the young people we support.
Through our 157 health services across the UK, we work to prevent issues from escalating. For example, by investing in social and emotional skills through groups and classroom-based universal programmes in schools, and through targeted support (pre-CAMHS) face-to-face and online counselling and therapeutic support, providing support for families, carers and new parents through to practical public health advice on healthy lifestyles, oral health and breast feeding.
Looking ahead
We will actively build partnerships and develop and share best practice that will drive change through:
- Improving Impact - Increasing access and outcomes for vulnerable children and families and improving health inequalities.
- Influencing and improving the system using our experience and expertise to enlist and engage policy and decision makers in creating a truly integrated health and social care system around CYPF.
- We will share, build-on and scale our experience in delivering 1-2-1, group activities and peer support, using digital, face-to-face and blended therapeutic service intervention based on specific mild to moderate mental health needs.
- Focusing on prevention and early family and child health interventions – we will demonstrate that better outcomes and a reduced need for crisis intervention and unplanned care, with its unacceptable human and system costs, is possible with the right system-wide strategy, resources and approach.
Our impact so far
We believe that children facing difficulty should only have to tell their story once – and be heard – rather than be lost amongst thresholds and tiers.
