Aims of Campaign
1. To provide opportunities and platforms for young people to share their experiences of living in care and of receiving support from professional services.
2. To provide young people across Hampshire with the chance to contribute and feedback to wider conversations about pertinent issues relating to young people’s health and wellbeing.
3. To increase professional and public understanding and empathy around the experiences of living in care.
4. To train, support and advise the systemic network supporting young people in care in order to enhance their work with young people in their care and ensure its effectiveness.
A number of initiatives/ projects were run including;
- ABC (Advanced Better Care) Training- four one day training events called ABC Training (Advanced Better Care) throughout 2019 across Hampshire. Workshop topics included; Managing challenging behaviour, Managing anxiety (for primary and secondary school aged young people), Supporting a young person in crisis, Trauma and CARE (Coping and Resilience Education) Skills.
- Young people focus Groups- Four focus groups were held with children in care across Hampshire. 84 young people aged between 8-14years old participated. Their feedback formed part of the Hear Me Exhibition and was displayed on colourful posters
- Foster Carer Network Conference- Hampshire CAMHS were invited to present at the annual Foster Carer Network Conference in September 2019 as well as have an information stand. This was an opportunity to share with parents/ carers and professionals information about the Hear Me Campaign as well as information about the Hampshire CAMHS Service.
- Hear Me Exhibition and Just One Thing- The Suitcase Installation; A free, openly accessible temporary pop-up exhibition was held within a vacant space within Festival Place Shopping Centre, Basingstoke, Hampshire from November 22nd 2019 until January 8th 2020. The exhibition featured information about the Hear Me Campaign, art work produced by young people living in care, the public art installation, Just One Thing; The Suitcase. This emotionally evocative art installation depicted through sculpture the responses of those who have had experience of living in care who were asked the question
“What was the one possession that you remember taking with you the first time that you went into care?’
- Digital Information; On the Hampshire CAMHS website (www.hampshirecamhs.nhs.uk) a section was added under the Help Section for young people, parents and carers and professionals. This contains information and signposting to other resources which are useful for young people living in care as well as parents/ carers and professionals.
You can read the full campaign report here