Representatives from North East Lincolnshire council, the Humber and North Yorkshire integrated care board, education sector, Humberside Police, mental health providers and the voluntary community sector came together to consider ways to enhance the wellbeing and mental health support for young people in the borough.
Anne Longfield CBE, founder of The Centre for Young Lives hosted the event held at Grimsby Town Football Club earlier this week. Discussions were held to understand how everyone can collaboratively work together and play their part in improving the lives of young people, particularly in relation to their mental health and wellbeing.
The Centre for Young Lives will work alongside local partners and children and young people to better understand the issues faced in relation to emotional wellbeing. The voice of children and young people in North East Lincolnshire was strongly reflected as part of the discussions which led to some key exploration of the pertinent issues including social media, bullying, connectivity, relationships and belonging.
Anne Longfield, Executive Chair of the Centre for Young Lives, said: "The shockingly high number of children struggling with mental health problems means we need to look urgently at new and better ways of providing support and helping young people before they reach crisis point.
The Centre for Young Lives is delighted to be working with Humberside and North Yorkshire ICB as a national trailblazer to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people in the region. Our work in North East Lincolnshire aims to show how a local area can transform children’s wellbeing by local organisations and groups coming together to make young people’s mental health a priority and joining forces to provide opportunities and support.
“This is a brilliant opportunity to show what can be done not only in NE Lincolnshire but across the country in future." Councillor Margaret Cracknell, Portfolio holder for Children and Education at North East Lincolnshire Council attended the event and said: “It is promising to hear that the Centre for Young Lives is going to work closely with an already excellent group of relevant stakeholders that are doing fantastic work in the area to ensure that this wellbeing charter is created specifically with North East Lincolnshire in mind.
“Our children and Young People need to be supported and nurtured throughout their childhood, and the commitment of everybody in that room to do just that is hopefully a sign of positive things to come.”
