Experts offer lifeline to parents worried about their children's mental health and wellbeing in Milton Keynes

Experts from a young people’s mental health charity are inviting parents to an online question and answers session to receive advice and guidance.
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The charity, YiS, provides free counselling for children and young people and has seen for itself the effect that lockdown has had.

Since March YiS has received 139 requests for counselling - twice the amount they had at the same time last year.

They have worked tirelessly during lockdown to talk to the young people online or over the phone and are busy scaling up to meet the demand when face-to-face session can resume.

YiS helps young people feel better about themselvesYiS helps young people feel better about themselves
YiS helps young people feel better about themselves

Antonietta Moch, Education and Training Manager for YiS, said: "We have been hearing directly from young people their worries and concerns about coming out of lockdown. They have said that lockdown has increased their anxiety and for some brought on new feelings of worry that was not there before. "

She said the three biggest issues young people are bringing to counselling are anxiety, depression and relationship difficulties"

In a bid to help, the charity has organised a question and answer support session specially for parents and carers, giving them tips on what to do and how to cope.

Antonietta said:“ We have frequently heard from parents who have expressed their concerns for their child, feeling helpless and understandably concerned for their wellbeing... Among the many questions being asked are 'what can I do' and 'how can I support my child?'"

Lockdown has had a bad effect on many young peopleLockdown has had a bad effect on many young people
Lockdown has had a bad effect on many young people

She added: "We have offered some support online but felt that there were many more questions unanswered. We hope that this question and answer session will help to raise awareness of the factors that influence positive mental health for young people and offer ways that parents and carers can support children”

The parent and carers session will be held next week, on Wednesday July 29, via an online Zoom event.

People can register for a place via eventbrite here , or they can email [email protected]. YiS is asking for a donation of just £10 per place to help cover their costs.

The session will be hosted by Therapeutic Counsellor Jenny Harknett and Antonietta herself. They will answer questions and share helpful tips and techniques to support children and young people's mental health and wellbeing.

Research by the charity YoungMinds indicates that 80 per cent of teenagers and young adults believe the coronavirus pandemic has made their mental health worse.

Campaigners say schools need to be given specialist mental health resources before September when children return, and that the government must release significant new funding to address young people’s mental health.

YiS provides counselling, education and training and more to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people and the people that support them all over MK.

The charity's CEO Gareth Eglinton-Pacitti said: "We know from the young people we are talking to that a lot of deeper issues are being brought out during this time, with people having more time alone to worry and fewer opportunities to access their usual support systems, be that their group of friends or someone in a school they feel comfortable talking to.

"We're able to see most young people online or via the phone, but that's not suitable or even possible for everyone. We are expecting an increase in support requests when we are able to provide face to face services again and are desperately trying to scale up so we can meet the demand and also offer more services to young people and the adults that support them. "

YiS, which also delivers its services in schools, is funded by MK Council, MK Community Foundation and donations from local community members and companies.

Experienced counsellors give their time for free and the results have been highly successful. Some 96 per cent of their clients feel they helped them, while 94 per cent were able to 'move on' from their problems and 99 per cent would recommend YiS to a friend.

The charity is now looking to bring external funding into the area to provide more support for young people who live here.

You can make a donation here .

If you would like to be a corporate sponsor for parents' event or future events, please email Antonietta on [email protected]

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