covid-19 blog

week 3- camhs service. 

This week we are focusing on the role of Gill, our CAMHS community In-reach support worker.
This project works in partnership with Oxford Health and the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS.) The service provides a light touch, early intervention service to young people with low mental health needs. 

Usually this service operates by visiting clients for face to face sessions within school, at BYHP or another setting. The young people Gill works with are aged 13-18 and can receive up to 6 sessions before being discharged where they can put into practice some of the skills they have learnt. Alternatively they may be referred to another BYHP service or further into the CAMHS, for example the Getting Help team. At the beginning of their work together they identify some goals which the young person wants to work towards and the 6 sessions are geared to these goals.  For example they may want to work on their anxiety so they will focus their work around this. They quite often use a CBT approach or a solutions focused approach. with the aim of reducing the young persons need for further support.

​As with all of our services, this one cannot operate as it usually would in the present climate. Here's what our community in-reach support worker Gill said she is doing differently. 
"At present, due to not being able to provide a face to face service I am offering telephone or digital support.  We have extended our number of sessions so that no young person will miss out on the support they may need, and support will be offered as things return to normal. Due to our partnership with Oxford Health I am also on call to help within other CAMHS services if required, to support the front line staff  in fighting the Coronavirus pandemic."

For referral information please visit the CAMHS page on our website.

Each week we have been thanking someone else who is doing something amazing to help the community. This week we would like to thank our friends at St Mary's Church in Bloxham. They have kindly supported BYHP for a number of years now in many ways including generous donations towards our food bank. Since the pandemic has taken over, they have really ramped up their donations. Not just food but some monetary donations too which allows us to buy top up items for our deliveries. We really appreciate your support. Special thanks to John who also volunteers with BYHP and coordinates the collections and deliveries. 

Here is John dropping off a cheque for food bank supplies.

Have you noticed that there seems to be a huge increase in the amount of baking people are doing whilst they are spending time at home, how about you? Why not check out this page on BBC good food where they have easy and delicious recipes to try.
Or maybe you are already quite experienced in the baking department? Why not show us some of your creations in the comments? 
Maybe after all the cake, you could try out some of Joe Wicks' home workouts? They are all free on YouTube and cover all age ranges and levels of fitness. 
Exercise releases Endorphines in your body which can help you to feel good so why not give it a go?

Next week our focus topic will be our counselling service. 
We really appreciate your support during these difficult times- if you are able to donate anything towards our services then please visit our local giving page. THANK YOU :)