Our Rep Jayne had the opportunity to attend the Community Champions Event in Warrington recently, representing our Parent Carer Forum with a stall. It was a great chance to connect with organisations working to improve mental health and social care across Cheshire & Merseyside. Here are some key takeaways:

💡 Lead Provider Collaboratives

These are groups of services working together across Cheshire & Merseyside, focusing on:

🔹 EmpowerED – Eating disorder support & training

🔹 Level Up – Children & young people’s mental health services

🔹 Helix – Perinatal mental health services

📢 Healthwatch Warrington

Healthwatch is an independent organisation with legal power to visit health & social care services, gather feedback, and produce public reports. They also provide advocacy & support. Every borough must have a Healthwatch. They can help.you access an NHS dentist, particularly if you’re caring for a child with special needs.

💳 Healthcare Passport

A new tool created by people with lived experience along with HealthWatch Warrington to help people communicate their needs when accessing services (e.g., triggers, what helps things go well). This will be in the form of a card that people can hand to health care provider or receptionist on arrival to ensure a smooth appointment. The hope is this will mean more people will engage with services by reasonable adjustments being indicated to services in this way.

🗣️ Level Up – Hear My Voice:

Community Champions are volunteers who meet regularly to promote children and young peoples’ mental health across Cheshire and Merseyside. If you’re interested in becoming a Community Champion have a look at the Level Up website below for more information

Five lived experience videos are now online, sharing the voices of young people accessing mental health support.

Next week is Autism Awareness Week. Please share the videos where you can! 👉 www.levelupcm.nhs.uk

💜 Action on Postpartum Psychosis:

One in 500 mums experiences postpartum psychosis. This is a national organisation providing support. More info: www.app-network.org

🏳️‍⚧️ My CWA – Trans Without Abuse

🚨According to a recent survey, 1 in 2 trans people experience domestic abuse in Cheshire.

🏠 1344 trans people live in Cheshire, but only 107 will seek support for domestic abuse.

Debbie Canlon is Project Lead for Trans Without Abuse, the first Trans Domestic Abuse Support service in the UK.

Find out more at: www.transwithoutabuse.org.uk

It was a fantastic event according to Jayne. It was full of important conversations and connections.

“I learned so much and met lots of wonderful people” Jayne said of the event.

If you have any other questions, please email us at: contact.pcfcwac@gmail.com or call 07900 840867

Join us and have your voice heard at any of our events in 2024/25...