Focus on... Mental Health Services

With just a week until the marathon I was tempted to write again about that countdown.  But there really is very little to add to last week's post, other than the continued rise of my fundraising total!  It's reached over £2,500 now, which has exceeded all my expectations.  Thank you so much! 

Instead I thought it would be good to share with you some more about where the money is going.  A few weeks ago I chose the family centres as probably my favourite part of the work of CCS.  The early intervention mental health services have to come a close second. 

Modern society doesn't make it easy to grow up.  There are so many challenges, so many pressures.  Children being brought up in situations of deprivation suffer disproportionately from stresses like family breakdown, bereavement and domestic abuse.  If left untreated, the mental health difficulties which can result, such as depression, anxiety and self-harm, risk blighting individuals throughout their adult life.  Difficulty expressing feelings in an acceptable way can lead to challenging behaviour which, if managed inappropriately, can lead to school failure.  Again, this has long-term consequences, as lower educational achievement translates into lower earning potential. 

The good news is that early intervention can transform this situation.  CCS has a team of mental health professionals who work in school settings and in a dedicated centre to help children and families struggling with these kinds of difficulties.  They use special, child-friendly techniques such as play, drama and art therapies to explore problems in a non-threatening way.  Over 90% of those who access these services show a marked improvement in their emotional well-being. 

For me this is a win-win approach.  By tackling difficulties early, the long-term impact is drastically reduced.  The children grow in self-esteem and personal fulfilment, enabling them to become constructive members of society who contribute to the development of their communities.  This helps to break the cycle of poverty for future generations as well as helping individuals and families here and now.  So I'm sure you'll agree with me that this project really is worth supporting!