#GettingThrough is a collection of guides containing important information that family members may find helpful when their child or young person has been admitted to a CAMHS inpatient unit.
The resources aligned to the aims and objectives of the Family Ambassadors and cover issues such as communication with families, practical tips for the admission process, how to prepare for meetings and managing family life after an admission.
Anne Beresford, PPV Member, CAMHS Clinical Reference Group/Expert by Experience and Co-Creator of the #GettingThrough guides explains how they were co-produced:
"One thing that seems in short supply when your child is admitted to a tier 4 unit is very simple, straightforward information. So, not the stuff to do with diagnosis, or whether your child is getting group therapy as opposed to CBT, but the very basic things like ‘how do I get hold of you on the phone?’ ‘when can I see my child again?’ ‘what are they going to eat?’ Everything else is important, of course, but not necessarily what you need in the first day or so.
Talking with parents at an NHS/Young Minds meeting, we came up with the idea of something like an airline safety card – the laminated card that sits with the inflight magazines - to be filled out on admission. Our ‘safety card’ would be short, reliable, bespoke. It would acknowledge the facts of the situation in a straightforward and practical way, exactly as that airline safety card does.
We also wanted to create something that was predicated on meaningful and productive contact between the parent and the unit. As elements of the card had to be completed by parents and staff working together, it would mean they had to talk to each other AND the information they wrote down would be up to date. Anyone who has spent hours ringing an out of date ward telephone number will have sympathy for this.
The #GettingThrough guides became very much a parent-led initiative, working with members of the public participation team. Parental involvement was key and we worked with RollerCoaster/Charlie Waller Trust to ensure this throughout, with focus groups, taking ideas to and fro, and refining them.
We came up with a simple guide which does what it says on the tin, it literally refers to the first few days only asking questions such as ‘Where will my child sleep’ and ‘Who can visit?’ also with space for staff and parents to add in specific information in the ‘anything else?’ section. #GettingThrough the first few days is now accompanied by further guides: #GettingThrough Meetings, formal and informal; #GettingThrough Communication with your child and the Unit and also #GettingThrough Family Life which covers subjects such as what to say to people at work or at your child’s school.
The guides give practical information and also feature quotes from parents and carers such as ‘Don’t allow the issues with the child in hospital to overtake everything in life – we made that mistake’ and reflections: ‘it’s hard walking past their empty bedroom. I used to keep the door shut, it felt more natural, as when she was at home it would always be shut’.
Throughout, design was important to us and even the borders of the pages help move the conversation on between parent and Unit. There are images of hair brushes and headphones (is my child allowed to have them?) telephone and footballs (being active is important for my child).
#GettingThrough The #FirstFewDays is a printed document which is filled in. It’s literally, a piece of paper to hold on to which can fit in your back pocket. The subsequent guides are available online.
Responses from parents has been positive with them feeling more heard and understood: "These helped you understand what they were doing, gave you actual contact names, and confidence in the service."
"It was lovely when staff sat with me, talked and engaged - they spent time."
"I was so pleased that staff listened to me and what we talked about helped my child."
Download the #GettingThrough guides from the NHS website