Online tool launched to help struggling youngsters
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A NEW mental health and wellbeing online tool has been launched to direct children, young people and families in Moray towards getting the right help.
Staff and pupils from Elgin Academy and health and social care staff worked with champions from Moray Wellbeing Hub CIC to design the interactive resource over the last six months.
The tool – available via moraywellbeinghub.org.uk – is designed to help children and young people to get help for any concerns they may have about their own mental health, as well as information for families of those with mental health problems.
The project is part of Moray Discover Pathways. The team applied learning from their existing project for adults, Mental Health Pathways, and reworked it for a new audience.
Heidi Tweedie, champion and director of Moray Wellbeing Hub, said: "We know that mental health and wellbeing is increasingly a concern for families and young people, and I hope that our new tool will help anyone with any worries to find answers and resources. You can find out more on our website, Facebook and Twitter.
"We are urging people to share with their local school, club, parent group, friends and family.
"The bright colours and friendly mascots help to challenge stigma and give a sense of hope that connecting with others and trying different options that involve all the key people in children and young people’s lives can lead to a happier life for the whole family and community.
"We knew from personal experience that we as parents and young people wanted something that explained the types of options – school, healthcare, community, online – and told us what was most supportive, how fast and how long we need to wait. That seemed more useful to us than focus on a comprehensive list of services, websites and apps that constantly change and go out of date."
Tracey Gervaise, service manager for children and families at Health and Social Care Moray (HSCM), said: "It’s great to see the end result of this project.
"Mental health concerns in children and young people can be a difficult subject to discuss. This guide is written in a way that is clear for non-medical professionals and the website is easy to use.
"I’m proud that HSCM and Moray Wellbeing Hub CIC have worked closely together to produce this new resource, and I look forward to continuing to work together to support the needs of our community."
