1st – 24th November 2023
This conference series will run throughout November 2023. We have brought together a range of speakers and researchers who consider issues of mental health throughout the life course, including for children and older people. We aim to bring mental health to the fore, to listen to people’s experiences in order to reduce stigma and improve services.
The conference coincides with Welsh Government’s development of a new ten-year national mental health strategy. We have compiled a range of resources to be disseminated during the conference series which will later be hosted on our website. The resources include creative poetry from care-experienced young people who have faced mental health challenges.
Content Menu:
Introduction – Professor Alisoun Milne
Premiered: 1st November
Webinars:
Relearning our Mental Wellbeing – and Ways of Supporting It
Professor Peter Beresford
9th November 12:00 – 1:00pm
Professor Peter Beresford discusses how we can rethink both understandings of mental wellbeing and distress and helpful ways of addressing the difficulties we may have, and how our childhood experiences can shape us in adulthood.
What works to improve the mental health of care-experienced children and young people: Systematic review evidence
Dr Rhiannon Evans, DECIPHer
15th November 4:00 – 5:00pm
Dr Rhiannon Evans, Reader in DECIPHer, discusses the findings of the systematic review of Care-experienced children and young people’s Interventions to improve Mental health and wellbeing outcomes (CHIMES) research programme.
Supporting people with mental health problems to build social networks and reduce loneliness: lessons for practice and research from intervention trials
Prof Martin Webber
21st November 12:00 – 1:00pm
Professor Martin Webber (University of York) discusses the findings of two trials. Evaluating the outcomes of social contact coaching for people with psychosis and investigating the impact of Community Navigators on loneliness for people with depression.
Exploring romantic need as part of mental health social care practice
Dr Jeremy Dixon
22nd November 12:30 – 1:30pm
Dr Jeremy Dixon (University of Bath) presents his study that found people with mental health problems face various barriers to forming and maintaining romantic relationships, including stigma, treatment side effects, unemployment, vulnerability and risks. Professionals rarely support them in this area and are uneasy about discussing sexual intimacy.
Video Presentations:
Mental health crisis care for children and young people
Ben Hannigan
A presentation on CAMH-Crisis2, an NIHR Research funded study exploring mental health crisis services for children and young people up to 25 years in England and Wales.
ReThink mental health in care leavers
Bethan Carter
Bethan Carter, Research Associate – Cardiff University, discusses the ReThink Project – a project run in collaboration with Adoption UK and Coram Voice to investigate what processes are linked to mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced young people and how they manage at two key transitions in life.
Exploring romantic need as part of mental health social care practice – Teaser
Dr Jeremy Dixon
Dr Jeremy Dixon (University of Bath) presents his study that found people with mental health problems face various barriers to forming and maintaining romantic relationships, including stigma, treatment side effects, unemployment, vulnerability and risks. Professionals rarely support them in this area and are uneasy about discussing sexual intimacy.
End of life care for people with severe mental illness: an evidence synthesis
(the MENLOC study)
Ben Hannigan
A presentation on the MENLOC study, relating to end of life care for those suffering with severe mental problems, who also have additional diagnosis of advanced, incurable cancer and/or end-stage major organ failure and who are likely to die within the next 12 months.
Blogs:
Blogs: On the Journey
Supporting mental health and wellbeing in secondary schools and colleges.
Care-experienced children and young people may experience more problems with their mental health and have lower wellbeing than their non-care-experienced…
Creative:
As part of her dissertation entitled “Falling between gaps? A case study analysis of partnership working to support the mental health of children in care”, one of our PhD students, Bridget Handley, commissioned four poems in 2022. These poems explore the daily realities and strategies associated with mental health and were written using direct quotes from the research participants involved in Bridget Handley’s PhD. The research focuses specifically on the mental health journeys of care-experienced young people living in Wales.
These resources are available in both Welsh and English and can be used to facilitate discussions among young people and practitioners in various settings, such as schools, families, social services, and the third sector.
We are excited to be showcasing theses incredible poems over the course of our conferences every Thursday at 4 p.m, both in English & Welsh.
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Cradle is an intergenerational project developed by the Welsh National Opera aiming to raise awareness of dementia to school age children and to support and improve the lives of those living with the disease through community singing & engagement. The Cradle Choir meets weekly for one-hour sessions, giving the members opportunities to socialise and work on songs from a variety of genres including folk, hymns, popular music and more.
With around 48,000 people living with dementia in Wales, raising awareness and providing support are both essential to improving understanding of this disease to all generations within society. Cradle provides a series of workshops tailored to school-age children to introduce them to dementia and in turn helping to improve empathy and understanding of the lived-experience of those with the disease. Some of these workshops involve spending time with local residents living with dementia as well as developing songwriting and performance skills with WNO facilitators.
Watch these videos from WNO to learn more about the initiative:
Resources:
Mental Health in Later Life, taking a lifecourse approach – published in 2020 by Policy Press
Sign up on website to get 25% discount
Family Carers and Caring, what it’s all about, co-written with Mary Larkin – published in October 2023 by Emerald
get 30% off if you order by e-mail via booksales@emerald.com quote code EME30.
Crisis care for children and young people
CAMH-Crisis2 is an NIHR research funded study exploring mental health crisis services for children and young people up to 25 years in England & Wales.
Models of mental health problems: a quasi-systematic review of theoretical approaches
Tackling social inequalities to reduce mental health problems – Report
Wolfson Centre for Young People’s Mental Health
We are a dedicated interdisciplinary research centre focusing on reducing anxiety and depression in young people.
New study shows rise in emotional problems in young people across generations
CADR – Who Are We?
A snap shot about the work we do at CADR and the importance of having involvement and engagement from members of the public in all aspects of research
Knowledge is Power booklets written by people with dementia for people with dementia
Evidence based resources for people living with dementia and their carers
ReThink mental health in care leavers
Pobl ifanc yn ceisio cymorth mewn argyfwng iechyd meddwl
CADR – Publications
Pocket Medic – Dementia training films for carers
Pocket Medic – Wellbeing
Standing Together Cymru: supporting the mental health and wellbeing of older people through maintaining community connections
Strategic mental health workforce plan
Welcome to Careersville
Careersville – Mental Health
Closing Presentation
Julian John, Associate Director of Mind Cymru
Premiered: 24th November, 15:30
Watch previous webinars from ExChange on mental health here:
