Mental Health
In 2021, following work done in the Learning Hub in relation to mental health and support during the Covid-19 pandemic, Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D. produced a mental health profile (which can be found on the mental health page on the S.H.I.E.L.D. website). This resource is an updated list of local and national mental health-related services supporting children and families and has been produced following a recommendation from a Rapid Review held in Bexley in 2025/26.
You can download the resource list here : Bexley Mental Health Resources.
Parents or carers with mental health issues
As part of S.H.I.E.L.D. priority work in 2019, Bexley Parentcare was a joint initiative between the NHS in Bexley, Bexley Council, and local community and voluntary groups that work specifically with parents and carers of children aged 0-18 years. It was created in response to suggestions from parents and carers, who said Bexley needs a single hub where parents and carers can find out about local services and resources that support Bexley’s parents and carers.
An overview of Bexley Parentcare is set out in the leaflet below (which still contains information parents may find useful):
As part of the follow-up activity for the partnership’s work on parental mental health, we produced ‘Stories from the Heart and Mind’. This is a collection of stories and key messages from parents with mental health difficulties. These stories were collated to help publicise Bexley Parentcare and to help parents understand they are not alone in what they might be experiencing and that ‘it is ok’ to ask for help. The stories can be downloaded below:
Stories from the heart and mind.pdf
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust launched a new trust wide perinatal mental health service in 2019:
Our services | Oxleas Perinatal services
Mental Health Profile 2021
Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D. produced this profile in 2021 as part of Priority 8 – Identifying and better understanding the mental health of children, young people and families in Bexley in light of Covid-19 and the services available to support them. The objective was for Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D. to have a clear and detailed understanding of the profile of mental health issues for children, young people and their families including any specific issues that have arisen in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D. hopes that the information below is useful to families and professionals.
The document is available to download here: Bexley Mental Profile 2021
