“It’s crucial care-experienced young people can access the support they need to succeed” – says Minister

Mental Health and Wellbeing Minister Sarah Murphy has stressed the importance of access to mental health support to help care experienced young people “succeed in life”.

Ms Murphy and Minister for Social Care and Children Dawn Bowden visited My Support Team, based at the former Victoria Village Primary School in Pontypool, to learn more about mental health support provided to care-experienced young people.

The Gwent Regional My Support Team (MyST) programme is a specialist mental health service working with young people up to the age of 18. It has previously benefitted from Welsh Government Regional Integrated Fund funding of more than £1.4m and supports children and young people who are looked after.

It aims to ensure children and young people, and their support networks, are given the best possible chance to succeed through a range of direct psychological work and a whole system approach to care.

The programme uses a wide range of psychotherapeutic models and has supported 97 children and young people with complex mental health needs and their adult network over the last 12 months.

As well as this intensive work, it also provides psychological support for a further 30 young people involved with children’s services.

A parent, who has benefitted from support from a lead therapeutic practitioner from My Support Team, said:

When she (the practitioner) comes to my house, she has her own mug because she has a place in our family.

We talk about lots of things but she is always non-judgemental, a good listener and we do not have one complaint about her.

I have wished there was a service like her’s when I was a kid. MyST has done so much for both my girls.

Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Sarah Murphy said:

This mental health support is crucial in ensuring care-experienced young people have access to the support they need to succeed in life.

My Support Team plays a vital role in providing therapeutic support that will boost both their mental health and wellbeing.

Minister for Social Care and Children Dawn Bowden said:

We need to ensure children and young people who are in care, on the edge of care and in foster care have the right support to live stable and settled lives.

Through programmes like My Support Team, which brings together local authorities, health boards and educational institutions, we can ensure the foundations are in place to achieve this.