Salisbury CAMHS is part of Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Wiltshire. The service is keen to involve children and young people in planning, improving and evaluating the services and has an active Participation Group who share their work in Instagram @salisburycamhs.

Recently the group produced a video on how to move from lockdown back to school or college. On it four young people discuss their tips; you can view it here.

On Thursday evening, October 8, one of the participants, Anna Doyle, 16 will be interviewed by Sue Kinnear on BBC Radio Wiltshire about general tips for transitioning back to school. There is also a podcast on the same topic, available here.

Hear our voices

Salisbury CAMHS Participation Group is also running a year- long ‘Hear Our Voices’ project over 2020/21.

“We want to hear the voices of children and young people in South Wiltshire, in particular about issues relating to mental health and how we can improve our service,” explains mental health practitioner Emma Lawson.
“At different times of the year we will be focusing on different groups of people to ensure we hear all voices, including those who identify as LGBTQ, people with learning, physical, mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions and people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.”

“October is Black History Month so we would like to hear from children and young people in the area who may identity as Black, Asian or other ethnic group and have something to say about their culture and their mental health. Perhaps you feel your experience of racial discrimination or racist language towards you has impacted negatively on your mental health. Or possibly that your cultural history has been a positive influence in developing a sense of identity. Maybe you feel your culture has particular positive ways of supporting your emotional well-being that you would like to share with us. Whatever your thoughts or perspective, we would like to hear from you,” Emma says. You can email her at Emma.lawson@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk.

To get involved and see all Salisbury CAMHS Participation news and events, follow them on Instagram @salisburycamhs.

See also:

Wiltshire CAMHS service information

Young Minds Hello Yellow campaign