Accessible and early interventions that help build resilience
The Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027 states “We will deliver a focus on prevention and early intervention for children, [&] young people”. It promises to take a whole systems approach recognising the importance of specialist services but also the importance of early interventions in supporting children and young people with mental health issues.
In the Arts Psychotherapies we have responded by partnering with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to provide accessible psychological services to children and young people focused on resilience building and inclusion.
Arts Psychotherapies Provision
We have arts psychotherapists based within each of the CAMHS Community Teams in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian. Our non-directive use of art and music plays a significant role in establishing a therapeutic alliance which then enables the opportunity for resilience to emerge, and growth and change – which is adapted to each individual child’s needs, choices and goals.
At the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) we provide individual and group Arts Psychotherapies treatments for the Inpatient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and in the Paediatric Psychology Liaison Service (PPALS) addressing the emotional and mental health needs associated with physical health problems in children and young people attending the hospital.
