THE importance of making sure the voices of children and young people are heard in shaping mental health support services has never been greater.

Mental health service providers have seen a surge in demand for help from the younger generation during lockdown, with many suffering from a lack of a routine while they were not accessing full-time education.

In County Durham, a strong partnership and multi-agency approach has helped to support the most vulnerable families during this very difficult period.

Investing in Children is just one of the many voluntary and community sector organisations which has risen to the challenge by sharing information and advice via community networks.

Investing in Children is a children’s human rights organisation, based in County Durham, with the core purpose of working directly with children and young people to ensure they have a positive influence on the organisations and services that shape their lives.

Chris Affleck, project officer and mental health lead for Investing in Children, says: “There has been huge investment in recent years on improving mental health and emotional wellbeing services for children and families, and this has been tested in recent months due to the pandemic.

“It sounds obvious, but children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing is extremely important. Good mental health allows children to develop resilience and enables them to cope with challenges they may face during childhood and moving into adulthood.”

One in ten children and young people in the UK may experience a mental health difficulty each year, with that figure increasing to one in four adults.

Chris says it is vital to understand the pressures young people find themselves under – especially during these unprecedented times.

“Like adults, young people need to feel they have a purpose and that they’re connected to their community,” Chris explains.

“In a digital world, with increased access to online activity and social media, many people have been able to stay engaged and access support from their peers, family members and the vast array of organisations and services available to them.

“However, online activity can also put additional strain on people due to poverty and limited internet access, especially in rural communities. It can also expose young people to cyber bullying and other challenges.”

Investing in Children has continued to provide virtual support to children and young people. On occasions, contact has also been face-to-face while adhering to the Government’s social distancing guidelines.

The organisation also maintains weekly catch-ups online as part of an emotional wellbeing peer support project called YASC (Young Adult Support Café), enabling young people to check in and access information and advice about positive mental wellbeing.

Investing in Children also supports the co-ordination and distribution of important information to professionals working with children and young people in relation to mental health and emotional wellbeing.

This includes holding network meetings each term and distributing newsletters with details of training, funding and service updates.

For more information contact chris.affleck@investinginchildren.net or info@investinginchildren.net, call 0191 3077030 or visit investinginchilden.net.