Welsh Government Ministers recently visited My Support Team (MyST) in Pontypool to reinforce the importance of specialist mental health support for young people in care.
Sarah Murphy, Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Dawn Bowden, Minister for Social Care and Children, spoke with families and staff to learn about the range of mental health services provided by the team.
The Gwent Regional My Support Team (MyST) programme is a dedicated mental health service for young people up to the age of 18.
The programme, which uses a wide range of psychotherapeutic models, has supported 97 children and young people with complex mental health needs, and their friends and families, over the last 12 months.
MyST staff have also provided psychological support to another 130 young people involved with children’s services.
The transformative impact of MyST has led to one father thanking the service for the support in helping his daughter transition from residential care to semi-independent living. He said:
“When she (Lead Therapeutic 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 have not one complaint about her.
“I have wished there was a service like hers when I was a kid. MyST has done so much for both my girls.”
The My Support Team programme follows the Welsh Government’s NEST framework – Nurturing, Empowering, Safe and Trust – for improving mental health and wellbeing services for babies, children and young people, and their families.
The programme, which has previously benefitted from more than £1.4m as part of the Regional Integration Fund, supports children and young people who are looked after and have complex mental health and social needs.
It aims to ensure children and young people, as well as their support networks, are given the best possible chance to succeed through a range of direct psychological support and a whole system approach to care.
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 play 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.”