Publish date: 11 February 2024
From the 5-11 February 2024, the Trust marked Children’s Mental Health Week. The theme was “My voice matters” and the week was filled with many events and activities to make sure young people are empowered to express themselves and we create the right environment for them to do so.
The Circle, crisis prevention café anniversary
On 5 February, The Circle crisis prevention cafe, marked its first anniversary to coincide with receiving two additional years of funding from the Trust. The celebratory round table event was chaired by renowned British actor and Circle Ambassador for HFEH Mind, Will Poulter and the Youth Services Director and Clinical Lead, Nana Owusu.
The event was attended by children, young people and their parents, Dr Rupa Huq Labour MP for Ealing Central and Acton, North West London NHS leaders, Dr Johan Redelinghuys, Clinical Director for Children and Adolescent Mental Health services, West London NHS Trust and James Burgess Commissioning manager.
New Trust CAMHS Youth Ambassadors are making their voices matter
Throughout Children’s Mental Health week, our young ambassadors shared their thoughts on what they hope to achieve from the programme and were out and about raising awareness of the mental health and wellbeing services we offer. The young ambassadors have proactively taken the lead by working with CAMHS to help engage service users in expressing themselves and making their voices matter.
Brentford Football Club Community Sports Trust –Advantage mentoring network stalls event
As part of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, QPR in the Community Trust and West London NHS Trust’s commitment to supporting young people across West London, Advantage Mentoring hosted a networking event at Brentford’s Community Stadium Hub during Children's Mental Health Week 2024.
The event on 6 February was attended by Councillor Samia Chaudhury, Hounslow Cabinet member for adult social care, public health and transformation. Organisations such as Shewise and community partners in the Boroughs of Hounslow and Ealing area came together to showcase the opportunities available to Children and Young People in Hounslow and Ealing, including those at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and West London NHS Trust.
Mentors at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust spoke about how cross partner collaboration helps to empower and instil confidence in young people. The Brentford FC Community hub space creates a holistic environment of interest for young people where they will feel comfortable.
Hounslow Youth Justice Service drop-in session
Kate Chalker-Wye and Speech and language therapy colleagues in the Hounslow Youth Justice Service asked young people to share their thoughts about what they liked / didn’t like about their time with the Youth Justice Service. This was done through an interactive session to enable young people to share their views.
Sometimes young people don’t quite know how to put what you are feeling into words and these cards were laid out to help their feelings words.
Zones of Regulation were created and young people were asked to put into words what they might see themselves doing in each of the different zones.
Heart of Hounslow CAMHS staff get creative
On 7 February staff at Heart of Hounslow got really creative to raise awareness of Children’s Mental Health Week. The Hounslow CAMHS Service decided to dress up as a character from a children’s or adolescent related book or television programme. This was to promote the theme of the week, ‘My Voice Matters’ and to capture the notion that every child and young person possesses a unique voice, one that deserves to be heard, valued and, and empowered.
Trust staff and QPR in the Community Trust promote mental health and wellbeing support for Children and Young People
Before kick-off on Saturday 10 February, QPR and Norwich City fans visited NHS workers from our CAMHS and Mint teams at the Fan zone stalls. As part of our ongoing community partnership work to support young people across North West London, teams were there to share information on mental health and wellbeing support for young people.
If you would more information on the mental health and wellbeing support we offer children and young people find out more here.