National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum

The next National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum on line seminar takes place on Wednesday,  27 August · 11am – 1pm. This event has a strong focus on children and young people.

AGENDA

10:40 – Presenters Join for IT Checks

11:00 – Welcome and Introductions

11:05 – Scottish Government, Crisis and Distress in Children and Young People, Harriet Waugh and Sophie Avery

Scottish Approach to Supporting Children and Young People in Crisis

To drive improvements forward for children and young people’s mental health, The Child and Family Mental Health Joint Strategic Board led by Scottish Government and COSLA, is taking a whole system approach to improving children and young people’s mental health. This includes focusing on four early priorities, which includes improving support for children and young people in distress and crisis. A key early priority for the Board is the exploration of a Scottish Approach to Supporting Children and Young People in Crisis.

The Framework will outline the principles of good crisis support at a local, regional and national level to support decision makers to ensure that they are providing the right support for their populations, this will include a range of sectors such as the third sector, youth work, and statutory services. In taking forward improvements to crisis support we will ensure that our approach is trauma informed, focuses on equalities and follows a rights-based approach. Ensuring that children, young people, their families, and practitioners are all central to policy development and decisions is a priority for us.

This session will provide an overview of the development of the Framework and our next steps, including how to share your views.

12 noon – TBC Bloom

Bloom provides school staff with the opportunity to develop their skills, and confidence, in having open conversations about mental health. We first delivered Bloom in the Highland area virtually during lockdown and have since returned to face-to-face in school delivery.

Bloom is a UK-wide preventative education programme, funded by our partners Mental Health UK, which supports young people’s mental health resilience. It helps young people aged 14-18 develop the tools and knowledge to manage their mental health through life’s transitions, both now and in the future. We strive to ensure that every young person in Scotland, no matter where they live, can learn more about resilience and develop crucial life skills that will assist them in maintaining positive mental health. Evidence shows that providing good, early preventative support to young people in the right place at the right time can help to avoid a decline in mental health and equip them for the challenges of everyday life.

12:55– Closing Remarks and Date of Next Meeting

13:00 – Close