In the past year, YPAS has supported over 9,500 children, young people and families and delivered over 49,000 sessions of therapy and support, as young people continue to struggle with the aftermath of the pandemic and other challenges in their lives.
The number of young people seeking help has increased and staff are working hard to make sure every young person gets the help and support they need.
The team recognise that not every young person is able to access the help they need across the country. Many areas do not have an open access mental health and advice service like YPAS and even where they do many organisations are struggling to keep the doors open in the face of increased demand.
That’s why YPAS has joined the #FundTheHub Campaign. This national campaign wants to see every area of the country have an early support hub, like YPAS to help young people with the challenges they face – whether those are to do with mental health, employment, education, benefits, or sexual health.
This summer, the Government is working on a new 10-year plan to improve the nation’s mental health and wellbeing and the campaign is determined to get a commitment to early support hubs like YPAS in the plan.
Monique Collier, Chief Executive Officer said: “YPAS are always conscious that not every young person can get this kind of help and support across the country. Young people have a right to good mental health support but in many places, they are failed. That’s why we’re also joining the #FundTheHubs campaign so we can use our voice to support young people across the country and not just in Merseyside.
The campaign is ambitious. It wants to see an early support hub, like YPAS in every local area so that all young people can access the help and support they need, when they want it and on their own terms. We know these services can transform young people’s lives and its vital that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care commits to national roll-out in the forthcoming Mental Health and Wellbeing Plan.”
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Notes
About YPAS:
YPAS offers a wide range of support, well-being and therapeutic services for children, young people and families in Merseyside. Established in 1966; YPAS is a charity that supports children, young people and families to address their mental health and emotional well-being difficulties.
YPAS is a Youth Information Advice and Counselling Service (YIAC) that provides free, easily accessible and age-appropriate support to young people with a wide range of issues. YIACS are driven by the needs of young people
About Fund The Hubs
The #FundTheHubs campaign is a national campaign delivered by Youth Access, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, Centre for Mental Health, Global Black Thrive, Mind, The Children’s Society, and YoungMinds.
More information about the government’s planned ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing Plan can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/mental-health-and-wellbeing-plan-discussion-paper-and-call-for-evidence/mental-health-and-wellbeing-plan-discussion-paper