Innovative local authority public health interventions to support the mental health of children and young people

Spencer, Liam and Redgate, Samantha and Hardy, Christina and Adams, Emma and Brown, Heather and Christie, Anna and Harrison, Helen and Kaner, Eileen and Mawson, Claire and McGovern, William and Phillips, Paula and Rankin, Judith and McGovern, Ruth (2024) Innovative local authority public health interventions to support the mental health of children and young people. Journal of Children's Services. ISSN 1746-6660 (In Press)

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Abstract

Purpose – Mental Health Champions (MHCs) and Young Health Ambassadors (YHAs) are two innovative public health interventions. MHCs are practitioners who work in schools and other youth settings and aim to be the ‘go to’ person for mental health in these settings. YHAs are a linked parallel network of young people, who champion mental health and advocate for youth involvement, which was co-produced with young people across all stages of development implementation. This paper aims to identify the potential benefits, barriers, and facilitators of these interventions. Methodology – Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=19) were undertaken with a purposive sample of n=13 MHCs, and n=6 YHAs, between June 2021 and March 2022. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymised, and then analysed following a thematic approach. Ethical approval was granted by Newcastle University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences Ethics Committee. Findings – Our findings are organised under five key themes: 1) Motivating factors and rewards for MHCs and YHAs; 2) Outcomes for CYP and others; 3) Impact on youth settings and culture; 4) Facilitators of successful implementation; and 5) Implementation challenges and opportunities. Originality – The interventions reported on in the present paper are novel and innovative. Little research has previously been undertaken in order to explore similar approaches, and the individual experiences of those involved in the delivery of these types of interventions. Practical Implications – These findings are intended to be of relevance to practice and policy, particularly to those exploring the design, commissioning, or implementation of similar novel and low-cost interventions, which aim improve mental health outcomes for children and young people, within the context of youth settings.