In relation to helping children recover from the mental health impacts of the pandemic, we also need to attend to the teenage and young adult population who have very badly affected too. Creative thinking is now essential https://twitter.com/ajamora/status/1356956599152234498

From my long history of volunteering at Corrymeela, working in inner city youth clubs in Edinburgh and running specialist services with care experienced young people plus my experience as a psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor I can safely say that social prescribing works.

So the essential piece of work is linking professionalised services such as CAHMS, GP and Social Services with Youth and Community Sector and PROPERLY FUNDING and supporting it!!! They are among THE most important services along with schools to help us get through this

Environmental projects too. There are so many ways we can repurpose our resources. But I am NOT in favour of pumping large wads of cash into over- professionalised services which often deliver poor value for money in my experience as a past social worker and CAMHS practitioner

Recovery from this requires a mix of structured and unstructured creative opportunities where the focus is on establishing safety, nurture and connection, fun and agency. Good attachments are hugely protective and healing for trauma. eg Theraplay offers a good model of 4 domains

Of course some expertise is required; at the strategic, training, planning and operationalizing...but I sincerely hope expertise of the youth / community sector is brought on board at the earliest stage and integrated in the delivery- as they can harness community engagement best