Bexley 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.
A pdf version is available to download here:
1. YoungMinds produced a report on young people’s emotional well-being and mental health services in Bexley 2016 – what did the 49 children and young people have to say and what themes resonate with you?
2. Public Health England’s report ‘The impact of COVID-19 on London’s children and young people May 2021’ included data on the increased demand on mental health services including crisis care compared to pre-COVID-19 levels
3. Healthwatch Bexley published ‘The Emotional Wellbeing of Children and Young People Aged 11-25 During the COVID-19 Pandemic’ in March 2021 – 147 children and young people told Healthwatch about the impact that COVID-19 had on their emotional wellbeing, education and plans for the future… “I have talked a bit more about my mental health to two close friends and they have stopped me from harming myself”
4. Bexley Moorings work with young people and their parents and have done for more than 30 years. We heard that not all the parents Moorings work with have a mental health diagnosis but may present with anxieties following domestic abuse or have PTSD symptoms. Their children are not necessarily their carers but are still impacted by these situation…
5. A conference titled ‘Children and Young People’s Mental Health: New Normal – Same Crisis’ took place in November 2021. The conference identified a number of areas for exploration…
6. As part of a whole school approach to mental health and well-being, Public Health has been working with Bexley schools, following the Public Health England guidance ‘Promoting children and young people’s emotional health and well-being’. Find out what this work entailed…
7. Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Partnership Board members listed what they saw as some of the key mental health issues for the partnership at the April 2021 Board…
8. Kooth is an online counselling and emotional wellbeing service and offers children and young people aged 8-25 in Bexley, free, anonymous mental health support, online. Read more about take-up of the service…
9. Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D.’s safeguarding champions network recorded a wide range of concerns about the mental health of children and families during the pandemic..
10. Bexley’s Community Safety Partnership team noted a number of prevalent risk issues around the mental health of children and families…
11. The study ‘Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2020: Wave 1 follow up to the 2017 survey’ recorded a number of key facts about children’s mental health providing some benchmark data for Bexley professionals to consider alongside local information…
12. Bexley’s School Nursing service is provided by Bromley Healthcare. The service provided a case study to showcase their work during the pandemic…
13. Healthwatch Bexley listened to 147 residents in May 2020 when putting together its report ‘The Impact of Covid-19 on Bexley Residents’…
14. Bexley Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) have seen an increase in referrals compared to the pre-pandemic rates…
15. A survey called ‘Your Life Beyond Care’ was designed by and for care experienced young adults. Between May and July 2020, all children in care aged 4-18 in Bexley were asked to take part in the survey and you can read more about their responses…
16. Bexley’s Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) receives safeguarding enquiries and concerns (known as contacts) on a daily basis from professionals and members of the public. Data relating to the mental health contacts has been collated to show local trends…
17. The NHS SE London CCG (now ICS) reported on ‘Changes in Children and Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing during the COVID Pandemic’ in June 2021 and highlighted feedback from parents in Bexley and also key mental health concerns…
18. Referrals to Bexley Moorings’ befriending service (and the % of these referred to the Parental Mental Health service) between April 2020 and March 2021 saw an increase from the previous year with a number of presenting themes…
19. Bexley Youth Council carried out a survey to find out how COVID-19 is affecting young people in education – conclusions based on the survey feedback included…
20. Mind in Bexley shared some case studies from their Wellbeing line during the pandemic…
21. A joint commissioning-led system-wide review of Emotional Health and Well-being Services for children and young people was carried out and reported on in June 2021…
22. The Oxleas safeguarding team identified a number of themes and recorded cases studies from consultations with Bexley children/young people during the pandemic…
23. Feedback from a Designated Safeguarding Lead survey and network meeting carried out in April 2021 noted some of the key issues being seen in schools…
24. Bexley Voluntary Services Council’s Children and Young People Network met in November 2019 pre-pandemic to consider mental health service provision in Bexley and associated issues…
25. Bexley Public Health’s Comprehensive Needs Assessment in 2016, ‘Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing in Bexley’, includes some useful definitions of mental health and emotional well-being…
For more information about services in Bexley to support families, see the S.H.I.E.L.D. website:
https://bexleysafeguardingpartnership.co.uk/
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