Rise

Co-producing child services in Warwickshire

In 2017, commissioners in Warwickshire retendered Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) following a whole system redesign co-produced by young people, parents and professionals.

The result was ‘Rise’: the new emotional wellbeing and mental health services for children and young people in the county. It’s designed to be a truly integrated service, focused on prevention, early intervention and the outcomes that matter to young people. Services work together to deliver the best therapeutic support, with schools, voluntary community organisations, social care providers and primary care services all aiming to increase access for children and young people who need help.

Rise also offers training packages that can be accessed by local providers, parents and carers. And young people are asked for their experiences of the service – for example sharing whether they feel part of decisions or receive timely support. Plans are now under way to set up five community hubs in Warwickshire, where families can access information, guidance and workshops and speak to a mental health worker.

The service is still in its infancy, but the aim is as simple as it is bold: to change the landscape of CAMHS services locally through co-production.

Coventry and Warwickshire Mind supported the co-production of Rise by helping to develop an outcomes framework, and by involving young people and parents in the process. The organisation now works in partnership with Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust to deliver the whole pathway.