ISPCC delighted to see one of its key recommendations included in the report by the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on Mental Health Supports in Schools and Tertiary Education

ISPCC delighted to see one of its key recommendations included in the report by the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on Mental Health Supports in Schools and Tertiary Education

ISPCC welcomes the publication of the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science’s report on Mental Health Supports in Schools and Tertiary Education.

We are pleased to see the Committee take on a recommendation from ISPCC that the youth mental health pathfinder project be commenced without further delay. ISPCC was a member of the Youth Mental Health Taskforce where this recommendation was originally mooted back in 2017. 

“We firmly believe that if we are to solve the crisis of our child and adolescent mental health service, the initiation of this unit is crucial. This week has seen the harrowing state of CAMHS being brought into focus in the interim report of the Mental Health Commission,” says CEO John Church. “The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in its State examination of Ireland struggled to understand how we have such long waiting lists for these services.”

The initiation of the unit would address the relevant gaps and challenges in this cross-cutting area, ultimately improving whole of government approach. 

Furthermore, we believe that it’s essential that mental health be a core focus of the next national policy framework for children and young people, with funding ring-fenced for both universal and targeted services. 

It is fantastic to see the Education Committee recommend that ring-fenced funding be made available to non-statutory mental health supports for students to address the overflow of demand on the statutory services and to reduce waiting times. ISPCC provides many services already that could support Government to meet such a demand.

We are grateful that our Childline service was recognised by Mr Justice Clarence Nelson at the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva at Ireland’s State examination. We are here for all children and they can reach out for any reason.

ISPCC has supported children, young people and families since its inception in 1956 and next month it will be 35 years since its flagship service, Childline, began. Since then, Childline has developed with the times and now offers a suite of multi-channel services delivered both face-to-face and non-face-to-face, responding to the needs of children and young people. 

We are delighted to see that the Committee recommends that wellbeing supports be an integral part of the curriculum and that there be mandatory training on many areas including bullying.  This is a key policy area for ISPCC and we developed our Shield Anti-Bullying programme as a direct response to the issue of bullying and how it was impacting the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of children. 

We were delighted to collaborate with DCU’s Anti-Bullying Centre and our Irish Safer Internet Centre partners Webwise on the Shield programme

For real reform in the area of child and youth mental health, it is imperative that we understand the issues at play, that all relevant stakeholders work together and that the requisite resources are put in place. 

 

Notes to Editors:

ISPCC Head of Policy and Public Affairs Fiona Jennings is available for comment or interview. 

For more information, please contact Rowena Walsh, ISPCC Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Tel: 087 3157552 

Email: [email protected]

About ISPCC

ISPCC is a national charity dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and young people; they are at the heart of everything we do.  We provide the Childline suite of services. 

Our child-centred services, programmes and supports are focused on strengthening resilience and developing coping competencies.  

 Any child or young person in Ireland up to and including those aged 18 years of age can contact Childline’s 24-hour support line by live chat – Childline.ie or calling 1800 66 66 66.

Our 24/7 Childline listening support service involves professionally trained facilitators actively listening, supporting and empowering children and young people. Our Childline Therapeutic Support Services offers children and young people a more long-term, personalised individual plan of support depending on their level of need and presenting issues. 

ISPCC’s Digital Mental Health and Wellbeing programmes aim to reduce anxiety for children and young people, as well as helping their parents/carers to manage their own anxiety while supporting their anxious child or teenager. These CBT-based programmes have been developed by SilverCloud, a leading digital mental health provider.

Smart Moves is our evidence-based resilience programme specifically focused on the transition from primary school to post-primary school. Best practice tells us that students need to be supported not just before they transition from primary school to post-primary school, but also during and after.

ISPCC receives ‘triple lock’ status again

ISPCC receives ‘triple lock’ status again

We are delighted to announce ISPCC has yet again been awarded ‘Triple Lock’ status by Charities Institute Ireland (CII).

This status is awarded to charities that uphold the highest standards in transparent reporting, ethical fundraising and strong governance structures. This recognition is the gold standard for Irish charities to offer assurances to donors, members and the general public.

To achieve the Triple Lock, we adhered to the following guidelines regarding ethical fundraising, financial reporting and governance:

• we adopt the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations for Fundraising to the Public. Our staff, volunteers and anyone else fundraising on our behalf are fully trained on the requirements and we have implemented controls to ensure that all our fundraising practices are fully in line with the Guidelines

• We prepare an annual report and financial statements in full compliance with the Charity SORP (Standard of Reporting Practice under FRS102).

• Our board has formally adopted the ‘Charities Governance Code. This means that we comply with the six principles of governance. These require that we advance charitable purpose, behave with integrity, lead people, exercise control, work effectively and are accountable 

ISPCC response to the release of the interim report by the Mental Health Commission into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

ISPCC response to the release of the interim report by the Mental Health Commission into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

ISPCC shares the sense of shock felt by many on the publication of the interim report by the Mental Health Commission into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). 

The finding that CAMHS has left more than 100 children without care for up to two years is, as Tánaiste Micheál Martin says, ‘unacceptable’. 

In light of these findings, it is timely that Minister O’Gorman and his officials will be examined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva tomorrow and Wednesday. Mental health will be a key focus there, as it needs to be at home. 

The fact that the Mental Health Commission felt compelled to publish an interim report on CAMHS is illustrative of the crisis facing the service. Yet, sadly, this is not a surprise for those of us working to support children and young people. 

For many parents/carers, it comes as a relief when their child is receiving support from CAMHS. “However, we read that some of these children are ‘lost children’ within the system,” says Fiona Jennings, ISPCC Head of Policy and Public Affairs. 

“It is truly frightening that children who have been on medication are not receiving ongoing assessments to ascertain the impact of such medication on their mental health and behaviour. In such circumstances, how can it be judged whether these interventions are making a meaningful and positive difference to the mental health of the child or young person?” 

The ability of CAMHS to provide a meaningful service is also hampered by staffing issues and the slow pace of digital transformation. A digital system that allows for timely monitoring and continuity of care is essential. As it stands, the system is utterly broken, despite the best efforts of those working within it. 

While we will always need CAMHS, it needs to be considered what can actually be done with the service in the short term to alleviate this current crisis, and we strongly suggest that there is a rethink of the CAMHS service delivery model; children and young people ought to be able to avail of such a service when and where they need it.  

At ISPCC, mental health concerns are one of the primary reasons why children and young people contact us. Calls on mental and emotional health was a top profile in our 24/7 Childline Listening Service over the Christmas period. 

Children have a right to appropriate care, and at ISPCC we know the importance of prevention and early intervention. 

We call on the Government to commit to a policy of both targeted and universal investment in mental health service provision. It needs to be a core focus in the next national children’s strategy. 

ISPCC reiterates its call for the Government to commit with haste to the implementation of the Pathfinder interdepartmental unit on youth mental health in order to align and streamline the mental health supports across various government departments. 

Notes to Editors:

ISPCC Head of Policy and Public Affairs Fiona Jennings is available for comment or interview. 

 

For more information, please contact Rowena Walsh, ISPCC Marketing and Communications Coordinator. Tel: 087 3157552 

Email: [email protected]

 

About ISPCC

ISPCC is a charity dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and young people.

The charity provides a suite of Childline services and supports for children and young people up to and including those aged 18 years of age.  Childline’s 24-hour support line can be contacted for FREE, 365 days a year 24/7.  Children can chat online at childline.ie or call 1800 66 66 66.

ISPCC provide services, supports and programmes for parents/carers and those working or volunteering in child and youth settings e.g. schools, clubs, crèches etc.

Our CBT-based programmes by Silvercloud, a leading digital mental health provider, Supporting an Anxious Child and Supporting an Anxious Teen provide essential support for parents/carers and teens experiencing anxiety.