The Healthy Young Minds Project, commissioned by Cheshire East Council, is a five year programme that will offer accessible, inclusive support to children and young people in Cheshire East, helping to build resilience and achieve positive emotional wellbeing. If you would like to be kept informed about Healthy Young Minds and opportunities to get involved please share your details here to join our mailing list, or if you would like to find out more about the project please contact Ange Richardson CVS Sector Development Officer at: ange.richardson@cvsce.org.uk 

What is Healthy Young Minds?

Healthy Young Minds offers an accessible, inclusive service aimed at building resilience in children and young people (CYP) and their families, to address emotional wellbeing issues, at the earliest opportunity, to enable CYP to live their best lives in the future.

Healthy Young Minds will run from 2024 to 2029 (with an option to extend to 2031). A digital offer, to provide virtual support for CYP and their families, will form part of the wider Healthy Young Minds service, following further procurement.

The service model was extensively co-produced with an extensive range of stakeholders, including children and young people, parents/carers, education providers, professionals (including health, social care, and police) - with thirty-six focus groups, comprising over 300 participants. Children and young people will continue to be at the heart of Healthy Young Minds.

The Healthy Young Minds service was initially launched to schools on 18/6/24 at a Senior Mental Health Leads Network meeting - and will provide integrated support, in partnership with children and young people, their families and professionals and help to reduce future demand on a wide range of specialist/statutory services.

Two providers Just Drop In (operating in the North of Cheshire East) and Visyon (operating in the Central and South of Cheshire East) will offer a flexible service supporting CYP, which gives CYP choice and control over their care. 

These services will target the upper quadrants of the Thrive model (Thriving, Getting Advice and Getting Support).

The Healthy Young Minds project also includes the establishment of a Healthy Young Minds Alliance - where providers will work together, towards a shared ambition of building resilience in CYP and their families, to achieve consistency and equality of delivery, address gaps in services as a collaborative - and provide a mechanism for channelling funding, to enhance the impact of early intervention.

CVS Cheshire East will be responsible for establishing and chairing the Healthy Young Minds Alliance with the key deliverables below.

Healthy Young Minds Activities and Events

The first step in establishing the Healthy Young Minds Alliance will bringing together the key stakeholders,  who were involved in the co-production of the commissioned service, in the early part of the Autumn 2024 school term to discuss the next steps. The event will be a precursor to establishing the Healthy Young Minds Alliance.

Alongside the event, we are also planning a High Schools competition, to enable young people to design the HYM branding and contribute to the formation of a set of values or guiding principles for the Alliance. This competition will be launched at the Stakeholder Engagement event and further information on how to take part will be added here, when available.

Healthy Young Minds Launched

A groundbreaking new initiative, Healthy Young Minds, is putting the mental and emotional wellbeing of children and young people (CYP) at the forefront.

This collaborative effort, co-produced by CYP themselves alongside families, professionals, and local organisations, offers a comprehensive approach to building resilience and preventing future struggles.

Commissioned by Cheshire East Council, Healthy Young Minds aims to reduce the need for specialised services by providing early intervention and tailored support.

Katy Ellison, commissioning manager at the council, highlights the service's potential for long-term impact: "This service is a catalyst for change. By working together, we can empower young people with the tools they need to thrive."

Healthy Young Minds will be delivered by Visyon and Just Drop-In, two highly respected local providers known for their dedication to CYP wellbeing. Their combined expertise and established community connections ensure seamless service delivery.

Both Visyon and Just Drop-In prioritise CYP voices.

Sam Ruck, head of therapeutic services at Visyon, emphasises, "Young people are central to everything we do. We work collaboratively with parents, schools, and CYP to create a supportive environment."

Ann Wright, chief officer at Just Drop-In, underscores their commitment to accessibility: "We offer early help and prevention, making services available when and where they're needed most – for CYP and their families."

Healthy Young Minds fosters collaboration through a CYP mental health alliance facilitated by CVS Cheshire East. This alliance ensures all stakeholders, especially CYP, have a voice in decision-making.

Aoife Middlemass, sector development lead at CVS Cheshire East, explains, "The Alliance strengthens partnerships, allowing us to learn, develop, and celebrate successes together."

This innovative service represents a significant investment in the mental and emotional wellbeing of Cheshire East's CYP. By working together, professionals, families, and young people themselves are building a brighter future for generations to come.

Healthy Young Minds Providers

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