Cambridgeshire and Peterborough chose to use the THRIVE Framework for system change (Wolpert et al., 2019) to guide their CAMHS transformation because of a desire to move away from the existing tiered model of child and adolescent mental health services.
Summary
Task and finish groups for each of the THRIVE Framework’s needs based groupings have been created and there is agreement to use the THRIVE Framework across the emotional, mental health and wellbeing pathway. ‘Thriving’ was an initial focus for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with a website called Keep Your Head developed to improve the information that was available for children, young people and their families who may need help and to support with self-help and promote emotional wellbeing.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been keen from the beginning to use the THRIVE Framework across the whole system for children and young people. One success in this vein so far is the local authority adopting the THRIVE Framework as a structure for their services. One of the challenges of taking a whole system approach is that engagement varies across the organisations involved.
Project Activity
New Wellbeing Leads have been recruited to improve the knowledge and skills of GPs, teachers and support workers and provide advice and support to those professionals.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough were supported to successfully win a grant from Health Education England so that they could improve support for children, young people and their families who are engaging in ‘Getting Advice and Signposting’ by improving assessment skills within primary care and localities.
What we found and what this means
Professionals from across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough that support children and young people with their emotional wellbeing and mental health needs undertook a full review of how their local system currently works. This was carried out with the support of the National i-THRIVE Programme team and using the THRIVE Assessment Tool. Key priorities were identified as a result of this exercise including increasing the use of outcome measures in commissioning and providing further mental health guidance and training for schools.
Contact us
If you would like further information on Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s work with i-THRIVE, please contact Kathryn Goose, Children and Maternity Project Manager, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG at kathryn.goose@nhs.net.
