Young people help co-design new mental health website
It's hoped their input will help improve the resource
Last updated 26th Jun 2023
Young people have taken a lead role in designing a new website for Dumfries & Galloway’s Child Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
The new site has been co-designed by service users and staff, and is now live for young people, parents, carers, families and professionals.
Three of the young people involved in developing the new website were present at the website launch on Friday 23rd of June in The Willows at the Crichton Estate in Dumfries, where the CAMHS team is based.
Chief officer of Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership Julie White also attended the launch. She says: “I would like to express my thanks to everyone who has contributed to this project.
“A great deal of work has gone into it, from children and young people, parents and carers, and professionals in the CAMHS team and elsewhere.
“It was very important to us to listen to the young people themselves about what would be helpful, and we have tried to reflect as much of that as possible in the website.”
It's hoped the website will help signpost users to different resources
Aligned with both local and national strategies, the website has also been developed in partnership with the Health and Social Care Partnership’s Communications team and external company CSU Web Design.
Dr Mary Smeddle, Clinical Director for CAMHS, says: “It was very important to ensure that the voices, experiences and ideas of young people and parents and carers who are currently or have in the past accessed services were at the heart of this website project.
“It is our hope that this website will help children, young people and their carers and families to navigate what is often a complex landscape at a stressful time in their lives.”
The website working group also allowed other people to contribute their thoughts and ideas on the project by sharing a short survey, to gather a deep insight into what information and functions would be of value.
The resource aims to reduce stress associated with seeking help
Alison Telfer, CAMHS Participation Lead, says: “I am aware that some children and young people can be quite nervous to come to a mental health service for the first time.
“Within the website we have included information about what happens at a first assessment, and photos of what our buildings look like inside. We have filmed a walk through tour so you can see what the reception area, waiting area and clinical rooms look like before you come.”
The CAMHS team will be continually monitoring the website’s use and effectiveness, making updates, improvements and changes as required.