BACKGROUND

The child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) provides outpatient assessment, support and treatment for children and young people experiencing mental health challenges.  The service works with the child or young person to educate them around their condition and provide coping strategies and support to the wider family as well.  

CAMHS may see children and young people on their own or with their parents and other family members and may be seen for a wide range of mental health challenges. 

THE CHALLENGE

Mental health services across the country face many challenges.  One of the most significant faced is around accessibility and letting the general public know how they can self-refer into the service as well as referrals from allied health professionals.  

Explaining referral processes to a large population of people is inevitably difficult both in the messaging and ensuring that message lands in front of the right people.  Creating awareness around various mental health issues can also be difficult as written information only goes so far in explaining the nuances and complexity around these issues. 

Allowing young people to share their stories is both powerful and healing for the young person.  Giving their lived experience a voice is impactful and creates a greater sense of emotional connection with an audience, resulting in better retention of information.  

How we helped

Excellent planning of this longer term project was essential to ensure that the heart of each of the messages stood out against the overall content.  This allowed us to utilise the young person’s experience and connect the audience on an emotional level to the content, inspiring them to consider referrals, remember the process better and to get a better understanding of mental health issues.  As we have a background in healthcare, we were well placed to work directly with the young person, making them feel at ease and confident in front of the camera.  

In order to help CAMHS, we created a variety of media including full length documentaries, short films, clinic tours, educational videos and social media content, all with the aim of educating the general public and health care professionals.  We continue to work with CAMHS regularly to highlight the incredible work they do and to ensure they remain front and centre on the minds of the people who need them most.