This page provides you with information about the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Early Years Mental Health Improvement Framework.
What is the Early Years Mental Health Improvement Framework?
This framework has been created as a planning tool to help support those working with babies and young children who are under 5 and their parents/carers to plan and deliver mental health improvement activities. It outlines the range of themes that evidence shows promotes positive mental health in the early years and highlights factors that both threaten and support good mental health.
Evidence shows us that addressing the wider causes of mental health requires a unified, co-ordinated, and ongoing approach from multiple sectors. This framework supports this by providing a consistent structure against which various partners and stakeholders can review their existing approaches and identify any additional opportunities to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.
Policy Mapping Document: A document illustrating how the framework links to some of the key policy drivers for early years mental health and how they interconnect.
Evidence briefings: A series of documents highlighting evidence that underpins each element of the framework:
One of our aims as the Mental Health Improvement Team at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is to support and develop mental health improvement activity across the Board area. All areas of our work are underpinned by equality, diversity and inclusion. As an organisation we are opposed to all forms of prejudice and believe that everyone should be treated fairly regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership status, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
On this page, we will be curating a diverse range of programmes and interventions that promote equality and anti-discriminatory approaches to mental health improvement
As we continue to add to it over time, it will provide a range of information and resources and signposting to effective initiatives that have been proven to be effective to address equality, diversity and inclusion to improve and support mental health and wellbeing.
We invite you to explore this page and discover the many ways teams and organisations are making a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of our diverse population across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Public Mental Health Showcase Event
This Showcase event brought together colleagues from across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (and beyond), from Mental Health Services, Health Improvement, and Third Sector Organisations.
It looked to share work that has been funded by the Mental Health Programme Strategy Board and linked to Third Sector activity under the Scottish Government’s Winter Social Well-being Fund.
In the event report, you’ll read about the range of work that has been undertaken across the area, and some of the key learnings, insights, and priorities that have been identified as part of this that can help to inform your future work.
This strategic discussion paper provides an understanding of equalities in mental health and wellbeing, during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic in the area of Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
It identifies three aspects that are key to facilitating equalities in mental health and wellbeing; capabilities of the population, personal and professional relationships, and service providers.
This page shares information on self-harm work happening across Greater Glasgow and Clyde along with some useful resources and suggested reading.
What is self-harm?
Self-harm is an act that is intended to cause injury to one-self but which is not intended to result in death. It is often described by those who self-harm as a way of coping with emotional pain and of surviving distressing experiences. It is not a suicide attempt. Read more on self-harm at Suicide and Self-Harm – NHSGGC and Self-Harm | NHS inform.
Why should we focus on self-harm?
Self-harm is a growing public health concern. Self-harm is complex and it can be difficult to understand, both for the individual involved and for those around them who want to provide support. Stigma, discrimination and fear of being judged can stop people from disclosing their self-harm, making it difficult to keep records and have an accurate idea of scale. It is almost impossible to say how many individuals are using self-harm as a coping strategy, although data estimates that 1 in 6 people aged 16-24 have self-harmed at some point in their lives. The majority of those who self-harm do not go on to take their own life but a minority do and a small proportion of people who deliberately self-harm are at increased risk of subsequently taking their own life.
How you can get involved in supporting those using self-harm as a coping strategy
What’s the Harm Self-Harm Awareness and Skills Training Resource
What’s the Harm Self-Harm Awareness and Skills Training is a one day training course that seeks to standardise understanding of and responses to self-harm when used as a coping strategy. It has been informed by a wide range of existing work on self-harm from services supporting people who self-harm, research teams and those with lived experience of self-harm. The training recognises self-harm as a coping strategy, a response to distress and a means to keep living. It makes the distinction between suicide and self-harm whilst recognising that there are links between the two.
An Introduction to Self-Harm is a one hour session delivered by What’s the Harm Trainers across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
The NHSGGC Self-Harm Forum
The NHSGGC self-harm forum is a group of trainers who have successfully completed the ‘What’s the Harm Self-harm awareness and skills Train the Trainer course. Trainers come from Health Improvement, Education and Third Sector.
The forum meets quarterly to keep abreast of national and board developments, share training updates and good practice and develop resources. The group reports to the NHSGGC Suicide Prevention Group and local structures as required. To find out more about the work of the forum, contact ggc.mhead@ggc.scot.nhs.uk*.
*Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999 or NHS 24 on 111.
Resources
Self Harm Resources and Supports is a comprehensive resource for staff providing support and advice to people who may be self-harming.
A resource pack for teachers and professionals working with children and young people. It includes teaching support materials and further information in the form of signposting to external resources and advice services, references, and linked where relevant to the Curriculum for Excellence and other national guidance. Download via the links below:
Read our case study about developing a sustainable model of self-harm training delivery across Education Services in each of the 6 Health and Social Care Partnership’s in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
NHS Inform – Information about self-harm, including signs, causes, and treatment options.
This page shares information on suicide prevention activity happening across Greater Glasgow and Clyde along with some useful resources and suggested reading.
Suicide prevention is everyone’s business.
Sources of Support
For some people they might be finding it difficult to cope and may think of ending their life, if you are concerned about an individual’s mental health and wellbeing and feel they may be in distress, the GP should be their first point of contact or contact NHS 24 on 111. If you feel the individual is in immediate danger please call 999.
The topic of suicide can be emotional and triggering for some, support is always available, and you may find the below information useful.
Breathing Space
A free helpline for individuals experiencing symptoms of low mood, depression, or anxiety, and offers free and confidential advice for individuals over the age of 16. They can be contacted on 0800 838 587, 6.00pm to 2.00am Monday to Thursday; and from 6pm Friday throughout the weekend to 6am Monday.
Childline
For children and young people, for whenever they need support or advice. It is open 24/7, and there are many ways to get support. You can call 0800 1111. Other ways are set out on their website: www.childline.org.uk
NHS 24 Mental Health Hub
Telephone advice and support on healthcare can be obtained from NHS24 by phoning 111; the Mental Health Hub is open 24/7.
Samaritans
Provide confidential non-judgemental emotional support 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair. You can contact Samaritans free by phoning 116 123 or via email on jo@samaritans.org.
SHOUT
A free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service for anyone who is struggling to cope. Text SHOUT to 85258.
Why Suicide Prevention?
Suicide is a significant public health issue. In 2022, 762 probable deaths by suicide were in Scotland, 556 males and 206 females. Every life lost to suicide is an enormous tragedy. And every life lost leaves devastating and long lasting impacts on families, friends and communities. Up to 135 people can be affected in some way by every suicide. Suicide is preventable and is everyone’s business.
How you can get involved in Suicide Prevention work across Greater Glasgow and Clyde
There is a commitment from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to local action planning and delivery to prevent suicide, through the development of a Suicide Prevention Concordat and planning group structures. These include the NHSGGC Suicide Prevention Group and a Youth and Young Adults Suicide Prevention sub group, where all suicide prevention developments and activity are co-ordinated.
Find out more about some of the key Suicide Prevention progress and activity across NHSGGC over the last two years here, and watch the video below:
The Youth & Young Adults Suicide Prevention Group carried out a snapshot exercise in 2021 with 32 stakeholders to gain a picture of youth suicide prevention supports, interventions, collaborative working, referral pathways and examples of good practice. Read the executive summary.
Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999 or NHS 24 on111.
All Suicide Prevention Resources
Suicide Alert resources: for staff working in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to support you if you are talking with someone who may be at risk of suicide. It explains the ‘ALERT’ model and provides some ideas for putting it into practice, as well as useful information about support services and suicide prevention resources. Resources include a briefing note and a generic prompt sheet and a Glasgow City specific prompt sheet. A resource directory of mental health APPS, helplines and websites to support staff with signposting and sharing of information that is appropriate to need.
Mental Health Pocket Guide: provides details for a mental health support organisation in each of the 6 Health and Social Care Partnerships; Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire. Provides helpful tips for looking after your mental health and wellbeing and who to contact if you feel someone is in distress.
Heads Up: provides advice, and information, on mental health conditions – about how you can support yourself or the people you care for, the services available for you and the range of interventions you may participate in. It also provides mental health information described in British Sign Language (BSL)
GAMH YouTube: GAMH and Glasgow City HSCP have created a playlist of videos called: Being there for someone at risk of suicide – A guide to taking care of Yourself and Others.
Being There For Someone at Risk of Suicide: A resource developed by GAMH and Glasgow City HSCP which is here for people who care about someone who has tried to take their own life, or are worried that they might. If you, or someone you know is in immediate danger, e.g. has a plan for suicide and the means to carry out this plan, call 999.
United To Prevent Suicide: is a social movement of people from all across Scotland, we are united in a shared belief that each and every one of us has a role to play in preventing suicide.
Snapshot Exercise: The Youth & Young Adults Suicide Prevention Group carried out a snapshot exercise in 2021 with 32 stakeholders to gain a picture of youth suicide prevention supports, interventions, collaborative working, referral pathways and examples of good practice.
This page provides information on Infant and Maternal Mental Health including resources, useful reading and shares some of the work happening across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
What is Infant and Maternal Mental Health?
Maternal Mental Health: also known as Perinatal Mental Health refers to mental health during pregnancy and up to one year after the baby is born. During this period new and expectant parents (mums, dads, partners’) can experience issues with their mental health. These illnesses can be mild, moderate or severe, requiring different kinds of care or treatment.
Infant Mental Health is the development of a healthy mind in the infant. It describes the social and emotional wellbeing and development of children in the earliest years of life. It reflects whether children have the secure, responsive relationships that they need to thrive. It is often an overlooked and misunderstood subject.
Why should we focus on Infant and Maternal Mental Health?
Becoming a parent is often portrayed as a joyous time, however for many the reality is very different with reports showing that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men and partners are affected by mental health problems during pregnancy and the first year after birth. The stigma and fear associated with perinatal mental health can leave those affected feeling inadequate as a parent, isolated and vulnerable and can impede or delay getting help, treatment and recovery.
Whilst the perinatal period can be a vulnerable time for all women and their families, research highlights that those with protected characteristics including women of colour, LGBTQ and young parents are at greater risk of developing mental health problems. Their vulnerability is further intensified due to additional factors of culture and ethnicity, stigma attached to mental health, language barriers, poverty, discrimination, lack of awareness of supports available and many more.
Untreated perinatal mental health problems present a major public health concern and can have long-term impacts on the physical and mental health outcomes of mothers, babies, partners, and families. It is crucial that families are supported to have positive mental health and wellbeing during the perinatal period.
Exploring the experiences of the NHSGGC Perinatal and Infant Mental Health network in engaging with Black and Ethnic Minority women and their families during the perinatal period to support mental health and wellbeing. Read the report here along with a thematic analysis comparing the findings to other research papers.
How you can get involved in supporting Infant and Maternal Mental Health
The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Mental Health Improvement Team have established a Perinatal and Infant Mental Health network to help deliver on the Infant and Maternal Mental Health agenda. The network is made up of partners from Health Improvement, Third Sector, Clinical Services, Social Work, Education, Health Visiting and many more.
The network meets monthly to keep up to date on national and board developments, work together to translate national policy into local meaningful actions, share good practice and hear from different services. The service spotlight section is an opportunity for partners and organisations to provide an overview of the services and supports they provide. If you would like to attend one of the meetings to promote your service please contact ggc.mhead@ggc.scot.nhs.uk*.
*Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999or NHS24 on 111.
Watch our short clip below to find out more about the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Network and the work we do.
Read how our NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Network are translating recommendations from the Delivering Effective Services: Needs Assessment and Service Recommendations for Specialist and Universal Perinatal Mental Health Services (2018) into local action.
The network works closely with Fathers Network Scotland to build capacity around understanding and awareness of paternal and partner mental health. Read more about the work here.
Building partnerships between the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Perinatal Service and Third Sector organisations, read about our Conversation Workshops here.
Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge
The Scottish Government has published the Voice of the Infant Best Practice Guidelines and Infant Pledge. Co-produced by a short-life working group, on behalf of the Infant Mental Health Implementation and Advisory Group, which was part of the Scottish Government’s Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board, the new guidelines provide direction on how to take account of infants’ views and rights in all encounters.
The guidelines offer suggestions on how those who work with babies and very young children can notice, facilitate and share the infant’s feelings, ideas and preferences that they communicate through their gaze, body language and vocalisations. The Infant Pledge states clearly what babies and very young children should expect from those around them, and can be printed off as a poster.
This is an educational film that has been produced to help those suffering from Perinatal Health Conditions – mother’s experiences to help other mothers.
Perinatal Mental Health Posters
A series of posters and supporting animations, developed by Public Health Scotland targeting mums, partners and staff to help raise awareness of mental health during the perinatal period.
We have gathered a range of different papers and reports which will provide you with helpful background reading into infant and maternal mental health.
From Bumps to Bundles: a research paper exploring Perinatal Mental Health in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
This page provides information about mental health stigma and discrimination, including information about how you can get involved to help tackle it, helpful resources, and further reading.
What is mental health stigma and discrimination?
Mental health problems can be challenging for people, but it can be made worse by having to deal with stigma and discrimination from others, or from ourselves.
Stigma is “The negative attitudes or beliefs based on a preconception, misunderstanding or fear of mental health”.
Discrimination is “When a person performs an action, whether they mean to or not, that creates barriers and inequality for people with lived experience of mental health problems”.
Why is mental health stigma and discrimination an issue we should focus on?
According to research by See Me, Scotland’s national anti-stigma programme, more than two-thirds (71%) of people with mental health problems in Scotland experience stigma and discrimination. In addition, 1 in 3 young people in every classroom will experience a mental health problem, and 3 in 4 say that they fear the reaction of their friends.
The impact of stigma and discrimination can be wide-ranging, including making someone’s mental health problems worse and stopping them from getting support. That’s why it’s so important we all play our part to challenge stigma and discrimination.
How you can get involved to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination
Join See Me’s movement
There are lots of ways that you can get involved to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination. You can join thousands of people across Scotland by taking part in See Me’s movement for change. Visit See Me’s website to get all the tools and resources you might need to take action – we have listed some of them below in the ‘Resources’ section too.
Get inspired by participants in our Anti-Stigma Fund
You could also get inspiration from others who are doing great work in this area. For several years, the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Healthy Minds Network ran an Anti-Stigma Fund, inviting creative bids from organisations to help address some of the issues surrounding mental health stigma and discrimination. To find out more about some of the projects that received funding, you can read our Glasgow City-Based Case Study, or have a look through some of the other outputs detailed below:
Youth Interventions – Mental Health Stigma Amongst Young People
This video was funded by the Healthy Minds Network’s Anti-Stigma Fund. It was co-produced by a group of young people who worked with Youth Interventions and a professional videographer to show the mental health stigma that they have faced.
Mental Health Stigma and Chronic Conditions
The animation below was funded by the Healthy Minds Network’s Anti-Stigma Fund. It was developed by the Teapot Trust and a group of young people with chronic physical conditions to show what it’s like to have a chronic physical health condition, and how it can impact on someone’s mental health.
Helpful Resources
We have listed below a range of resources that will help you tackle mental health stigma and discrimination across the lifecourse:
General
Healthy Minds Awareness-Raising Resource: An awareness-raising session offering an introduction to mental health stigma and discrimination that is free to download and can be used by anyone (session number 15).
“Let’s Chat” tool: A tool from See Me that provides guidance, tips, and scenarios for line managers and supervisors to start open and honest conversations about mental health in the workplace.
Perinatal and Infant
Perinatal and Infant Good Practice Guide: A resource to support Health Care Workers, Third Sector Partners, and any community organisations that are in contact with, supporting and/or working with new and expectant parents. It is underpinned the nine protected characteristics as set out in the Equality Act (2010).
Young people
“What’s on your Mind?”: A pack to support teachers and young people to learn about mental health and develop the skills and confidence to tackle stigma and discrimination in school and the wider community.
FeelsFM: An emoji jukebox that can be used to host conversations with young people, to get their views on mental health and how to tackle stigma.
Further Reading
We have gathered a range of different papers and reports which will provide you with helpful background reading into Anti-stigma and discrimination.
See Me in work e-Learning Portal: An online programme to help you understand more about mental health stigma and discrimination in work.
The Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study (2022): Shares the findings from a survey with adults in Scotland who identified as living with severe, complex and/or enduring mental illness where they described the ways in which they experienced stigma and discrimination in the last 12 months.
Please email the team at ggc.mhead@ggc.scot.nhs.uk* with any questions about Anti-stigma and Discrimination.
*Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are indistress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999or NHS 24 on 111.
This page shares information on mental health training and capacity building opportunities available to the public health workforce across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Scotland’s 10-year Mental Health Strategy (2017-2027) puts a strong emphasis on the importance of training and building capacity across the public mental health workforce to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and its partners are working together to ensure we meet these strategic outcomes via our Board’s mental health and wellbeing workstream. It recognises the importance of ensuring staff working with people across GGC are equipped and confident to support and promote positive mental health and wellbeing and respond to those in distress.
Building Mental Health Improvement Capacity across Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Mental Health Improvement Training and Capacity Building Calendar
We are pleased to share our latest Training and Capacity building calendar which is open to any NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff, or staff from a Local Authority or Third Sector organisation within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.
From October 2023 – March 2024, the following courses will be on offer:
Online Harms and Mental Health: Healthy Minds Session
Mental Health Resources Information Session
Aye Mind: Healthy Minds Session
Menopause and Mental Health: Healthy Minds Session
Screen Time and Mental Health: Healthy Minds Session
For further details, including dates, times, and how to book, please download our Training and Capacity Building Programme:
Please contact ggc.mhead@ggc.scot.nhs.uk* if you have any questions about this program of learning. Please note we are unable to take bookings through this email.
Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999 or NHS 24 on 111.
Mental Health Improvement, Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Training Pathway
Our NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Mental Health Improvement, Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Training Pathway reflects the NHS Education for Scotland Mental Health Improvement and Suicide Prevention Framework; Scotland’s Knowledge and Skills Framework for Mental Health Improvement, Self-harm and Suicide Prevention.
The pathway is a tool to encourage the public health workforce to progressively build their knowledge and skills relevant to their role and responsibilities in the area of mental health. The resource is not a training calendar but rather a reference and guidance document to help individuals, teams and organisations explore potential training opportunities that are available, and whilst not exhaustive it can support navigation through the relevant and appropriate levels according to roles.
Healthy Minds is an awareness-raising resource that supports delivery of the public mental health agenda. It aims to promote basic awareness and understanding of mental health and covers a variety of topics that can impact people’s mental health and wellbeing. Anyone can deliver a Healthy Minds session – you don’t need previous experience and the sessions are completely free to download and adapt to suit your own purposes. Visit the Healthy Minds page to find out more Healthy Minds Resource – NHSGGC.
The Mental Health Improvement Team are a Greater Glasgow and Clyde Board wide team who support our colleagues and partners across the six Health and Social Care Partnership areas; Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire, East Dunbartonshire and Inverclyde to deliver on the public mental health agenda. We are part of the wider Mental Health, Alcohol and Drugs Health Improvement team.
We use our evidence-based mental health improvement and early intervention frameworks (Adult and Child/Youth) to guide this work.
Our work spans across the life course, from infant and maternal health through to older adults and is underpinned by:
Healthy Minds is our professional network for those working in, or interested in, mental health improvement and anti-stigma work across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The network meets quarterly, and members come from those with an interest or remit for mental health and wellbeing within NHSGGC. This includes Local Authorities, voluntary / third sector, local workplaces, and others.
Network Aims
Engage those with an interest or remit for mental health and wellbeing within NHSGGC, Local Authorities, voluntary / third sector, local workplaces, and others.
Share best practice, information and disseminate evidence-based and evidence-informed practice.
Provide an opportunity for seed funding for local initiatives (particularly anti-stigma related to mental ill health) and to identify other available funding sources.
Provide opportunities for ‘joined up’ working on issues of local, regional and national interest.
*Please note that this is a generic admin inbox and not monitored immediately. If you, or someone you know are in distress and need an immediate response call the emergency services on 999or NHS24 on 111.
Headline Reports
Below you will find six-month snapshots of our work:
If you have any questions about our team or our work, please get in touch with us by emailing ggc.mhead@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
This page provides information on the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Healthy Minds – Adult Mental Health Improvement and Early Intervention Framework, a tool to enable the public health workforce across Greater Glasgow and Clyde to effectively deliver mental health improvement for the adult population.
Mental health has been defined as a state of wellbeing in which the individual recognises their own abilities and is able to cope with normal daily stresses in life (World Health Organisation, 2005).
It is reported that 1 in 4 adults will experience mental health issues in any given year. Prevention and early intervention are vital and recovery is possible with the right support and resources. For more information about some common mental health conditions and for self-management tips and advice, please visit the NHSGGC Heads Up Website.
Healthy Minds Framework
The NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Healthy Minds – Adult Mental Health Improvement and Early Intervention Framework is a tool to support delivery of the public mental health agenda. The framework brings together a range of activity that has been demonstrated as having value in the promotion of good mental health for adults.
It is designed to be “read” in a bottom-up way, starting with consideration of the underlying determinants such as socio-economic factors, moving through social environment issues like challenging stigma and discrimination, then considering health promotion and primary preventative activities, with the upper tier of action being secondary preventative and recovery oriented.
Adult Mental Health Policy Landscape: A useful planning tool to illustrate how the Healthy Minds Mental Health framework links to and supports key adult mental health policy drivers.
Adult Mental Health Apps, Helplines, and websites: A resource directory of mental health apps, helplines, and websites to support staff with signposting and sharing of information that is appropriate to need.
The Healthy Minds Adult Mental Health Framework session (no. 10) is a useful resource for partners to find out more about the framework and how it can be used to support mental health improvement work.
Transforming Adult Mental Health Poster: The resources illustrates what the framework can look like in action to support partners from across sectors to utilise it.
Adult Mental Health Supports Poster: A poster showing the ways in which mental health supports can be accessed; from 1 to 1 support, reading, group work, phone and online. The resources allow anyone working with adults to populate with their own update to date information on an ongoing basis, relevant to their organisation, locality area and wider. It is a reusable, wipe clean resource.
The Framework in Action
Respond Better to Distress
Unfortunately, some people can find it difficult to cope at times in their lives and may harm themselves or think of ending their life. We need to improve our responses to people in distress, both from services and the wider community, including action to prevent suicide and better support for people who self-harm.
If you are concerned about an individual’s mental health and wellbeing and feel they may be in distress, the GP should be their first point of contact, or contact NHS 24 on 111. If you feel the individual is in immediate danger, please call 999.
Resources
There are a range of suicide prevention and self-harm activities underway across Greater Glasgow and Clyde, visit the suicide prevention and self-harm pages to find out more.
Suicide alert Resources: for staff working in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to support you if you are talking with someone who may be at risk of suicide. It explains the ‘ALERT’ model and provides some ideas for putting it into practice, as well as useful information about support services and suicide prevention resources. Resources include a briefing note and prompt sheet. A resource directory of mental health APPS, helplines and websites to support staff with signposting and sharing of information that is appropriate to need.
Healthy Minds Pocket Guide – Our mental health and wellbeing card provides details for a mental health support organisation in each of the 6 Health and Social Care Partnerships; Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire. It also provides helpful tips for looking after your mental health and wellbeing and who to contact if you feel someone is in distress.
Healthy Minds Basic Adult Mental Health (1): A session from our Healthy Minds Resource that aims to raise awareness of mental health, what can impact mental health, what to look out for if someone is struggling with their mental health, and what we can do to help protect and support mental health.
Promote Wellbeing for People with Long Term Conditions
Long-term conditions are defined as health conditions that last a year or longer, impact a person’s life, and may require ongoing care and support. People with long-term mental health problems have significantly poorer health outcomes with an up to a 20-year gap in life expectancy. Similarly, people with other long-term conditions are at higher risk of mental health difficulties.
It is important to promote holistic health for people with long-term conditions (“healthy body, healthy mind”), promote recovery approaches, and social inclusion. It is also important to include a focus on carers’ wellbeing as part of this agenda. The Healthy Minds Long Term Conditions (no. 6) session can help raise awareness of the impact that long-term conditions can have on mental health and explores strategies to help manage this.
Helplines
Anxiety and Stress Disorders: NHS Living Life provides a free telephone based service for people over the age of 16 feeling low, anxious or stressed. Call 0800 328 9655 lines opened Monday to Friday, 1.00pm – 9.00pm.
Diabetes Scotland: Call 0141 212 8710, Monday to Friday, 9.00am – 6.00pm or email helpline.scotland@diabetes.org.uk Confidential helpline (charges apply) that can provide information about the condition and take time to talk through and explore emotional, social, psychological or practical difficulties.
Epilepsy Scotland: provide a free confidential helpline that provides information and emotional support to anyone affected by epilepsy. Call 0808 800 2200, Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 4.30pm.
NHS Inform: provides information on a range of illnesses and conditions and helps people make informed choices about their health and wellbeing.
Promote Wellbeing and Resilience with People & Communities
Resilience is a key factor in protecting and promoting good mental health and is defined as an individual’s ability to successfully adapt to life tasks in the face of social disadvantage or highly adverse conditions.
Being socially connected and resilient, both as individuals and communities, are now recognised to be powerful influences on mental health and wider wellbeing. This can be achieved through developing social connections, tackling isolation, building resilience, strengthening the use of community assets (including social prescribing), and strengthening self-care and peer support.
There are a wealth of initiatives happening across communities to help social connection and reduce loneliness and isolation. The Thriving Places is an example of how communities are bringing people together with a focus on delivering local services, making the best use of the local community assets, and improving quality of life.
Resources
Healthy Minds Pocket Guide – Our mental health and wellbeing card provides details for a mental health support organisation in each of the 6 Health and Social Care Partnerships; Glasgow City, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire. It also provides helpful tips for looking after your mental health and wellbeing and who to contact if you feel someone is in distress.
Adult Mental Health Reading List: A reading list of books has been created to help people self-manage any mental health or wellbeing issues, gain more understanding of mental health and wellbeing, and help people to feel less alone.
Promote Wellbeing and Resilience at Work
Workplaces have a key role to play in improving our nation’s health and quality of life. Good quality work represents an important force in promoting positive mental health, while unemployment and poor quality work are toxic influences.
The business case for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of employees is a strong one. The benefits include:
Fewer days lost to sickness and absence.
Staff retention and lower staff turnover.
Improved productivity.
Improved team working and staff morale.
Healthy Working Lives is for employers in Scotland looking for workplace health, safety, and wellbeing information. This includes information on supporting the mental health and wellbeing of employees, what they can do, and access to resources to help with this.
Healthy Minds can be used by organisations and employers to raise awareness of mental health and issues that can impact on mental health such as sleep, loss and grief.
Promote Positive Attitudes, Challenge Stigma and Discrimination
Despite supportive policy within Scotland, the experience of people with mental health issues in our communities remains poor. Mental health-related stigma and discrimination does not only occur within health and social care, but also within financial inclusion, employability, and education. This is in the context of the social determinants of health and equality issues predominantly amongst those with protected characteristics.
More than two-thirds (71%) of people with mental health problems in Scotland have experienced stigma and discrimination. In addition, 1 in 3 young people in every classroom will experience a mental health problem, and 3 in 4 say that they fear the reaction of their friends.
The impact of stigma and discrimination can be wide-ranging, including making someone’s mental health problems worse and stopping them from getting support.
Resources
Visit the Anti-stigma and discrimination page to find out more about some of the work being taken forward across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
See Me is Scotland’s Programme to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Scotland’s Association for Mental Health and The Mental Health Foundation.
Healthy Minds Stigma and Discrimination session (no. 15) aims to raise awareness of mental health stigma and discrimination and what can be done to help tackle it.
Tackle Underlying Determinants and Promote Equity
Health inequalities are the unfair and avoidable differences in people’s health across social groups and between different population groups.
To reduce health inequalities, action is needed to address the fundamental causes of social inequality which determine inequalities in income, employment, education and daily living conditions.
Action is required across a broad spectrum of policy areas, involving a wide range of organisations. Resources and actions need to be reallocated from interventions that are not effective to those focused on reducing health and social inequalities with the prioritisation of social equity and justice.
This page provides you with information about the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Healthy Minds – Children and Young People Mental Health Improvement and Early Intervention Framework.
What is the Child and Youth Early Intervention Framework?
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have developed a Child and Youth Mental Health Improvement and Early Intervention Framework, a tool for anyone working with children and young people across each of the six Health and Social Care Partnerships to effectively deliver mental health improvement for these populations.
Evidence demonstrates, however, that there is no single intervention, therapy or programme that delivers mental well-being at a population level. Rather that young people require a number of prerequisites to develop resiliently and that these prerequisites span the school, family and community life of young people. The framework therefore outlines six key elements which the evidence shows us supports children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Child and Youth Mental Health Policy Landscape: A document illustrating how the framework links to some of the key policy drivers for child and youth mental health and how they interconnect to ultimately Get it Right for Every Child.
Child and Youth Mental Health Supports: A document which maps out the range of available mental health supports for children and young people to access, including websites, apps, and helplines.
Explore each section of the framework
One Good Adult
The concept of ‘One Good Adult’ is to emphasise the importance of a dependable adult who can support and protect the mental wellbeing of a child and/or a young person. The presence of One Good Adult has been found to be a key indicator of how well a young person copes with their struggles. Although it’s important for young people to have One Good Adult, it is equally important to be that One Good Adult.
One of the most interesting pieces of Irish research was the ‘My World Survey’ a national study of youth mental health in Ireland, which revealed a number of findings about the real mental health needs of young people. The report promotes the concept of the ‘One Good Adult’; this is seen as important to the mental wellbeing of young people. Over 70% of young people reported that they received very high or high support from a special adult. The study strongly confirms that the presence of ‘One Good Adult’ is important to the mental health of young people. It has a positive impact on their self-belief, confidence, coping skills and optimism about the future. This ‘One Good Adult’ can be a parent, grandparent, teacher, sports coach or someone who is available to them in times of need.
Helpful resources
Healthy Minds – One Good Adult Session: The One Good Adult session (number 12) from our Healthy Minds Resource can help raise awareness of the concept and what is means to be that one good adult.
Resilience Toolkit: Contains a One Good Adult activity session for children and young people, to help them identify the qualities a one good adult should have and who theirs might be.
Resilience Development in Schools
Schools play a key role in protecting and supporting the mental health of children and young people. A whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing can help children and young people develop the knowledge, understanding, skills and attributes they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing for now and in the future.
A whole school approach makes mental health everyone’s business and in doing so helps to eliminate stigma and discrimination and create a more understanding school community and society which values mental health equally alongside physical health.
Mental health and wellbeing should be embedded into all aspects of school life from Improvement Plans to the curriculum, consideration of the physical environment, ethos, resources, facilities, and its partnership working to enhance and extend expertise in the area of mental health and wellbeing.
Helpful resources
Resources for Schools and Youth Organisations: A comprehensive document that offers a range of suggested resources that can be used in schools and youth organisations to help protect, promote, and support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, the resources highlighted have been developed by Education and Health colleagues and National Mental Health organisations.
Healthy Minds Resilience Session: The Resilience session from our Healthy Minds Resource (number 13) can help raise awareness of what resilience is, what it means to be resilient, the benefits to mental health and what we can do to help develop resilience.
Resilience Poster: A poster that includes top 10 tips for developing resilience.
Resilience Development in Communities
Many children and young people have links to their communities and opportunities to be involved in various youth groups and clubs. Youth services, voluntary and community organisations are in a very good position to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. For some children and young people they are more accessible than traditional statutory services, often reach the most vulnerable children and young people at risk of poorer mental health and many activities undertaken by community organisations already help support and improve mental health and wellbeing.
It is important that youth services, voluntary and community organisations have access to mental health resources and have a baseline knowledge and understanding of mental health and feel confident to intervene to help children and young people in situations of distress, including self harm and suicide.
Helpful resources
Child and Youth Mental Health Supports: A document which maps out the range of available mental health supports for children and young people to access, including websites, apps, and helplines.
Healthy Minds Resilience Session: The Resilience session from our Healthy Minds Resource (number 13) can help raise awareness of what resilience is, what it means to be resilient, the benefits to mental health and what we can do to help develop resilience.
Resilience Poster: A poster that includes top 10 tips for developing resilience.
Guiding Through the Service Maze
For children and young people mental health problems can develop as a result of life circumstances like exam stress, transitions, caring responsibilities, relationships, sexual identity, poverty, unemployment, grief, illness and long term conditions and family imprisonment. Many of these mental health problems are mild and temporary and often manageable with help from supportive trusted adults like teachers, youth workers, parents/caregivers and peer groups. The problems pass as the child or young person moves on and finds new solutions. However, some children and young people may require support from an organisation who specialises in the area that is impacting on their mental health, such as bereavement.
It is important that children, families and young people have range of support options for early intervention and can be helped to find their way to appropriate help quickly.
Accessing Mental Health Support – Child and Youth Poster: A poster illustrating the different ways in which mental health supports can be accessed; from 1 to 1 support, reading, group work, phone and online. Anyone working with children and young people can download it to populate it with their own update to date information on an ongoing basis, relevant to their organisation, locality area and wider.
CAMHS Video: Watch this video from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) which includes information for referrers.
Still concerned?
For some children and young people they may be finding it difficult to cope and may think of ending their life, if you are concerned about a child or young person’s mental health and wellbeing and feel they may be in distress, their Doctor should be their first point of contact. If you feel the young person’s life in immediate danger please call 999 for assistance.
Responding to Distress
Unfortunately, some children and young people can find it difficult to cope at times in their lives. As a result, they may harm themselves or think of ending their life. It is therefore important that frontline staff working with children and young people are confident and supported to intervene and help children and young people in situations of distress, including self-harm and risk of suicide.
The NHSGGC Self-Harm Forum is a group of trainers who have completed the What’s the Harm: Self-Harm Awareness and Skills Training Course. They play a key role in building capacity across the board area to help standardise understanding of and responses to self harm when used as a coping strategy. If you want to hear more about their work, please contact us at ggc.mhead@ggc.scot.nhs.uk.
Helpful Resources
Suicide alert resources: for staff working in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area to support you if you are talking with someone who may be at risk of suicide. It explains the ‘ALERT’ model and provides some ideas for putting it into practice, as well as useful information about support services and suicide prevention resources. Resources include a briefing note and prompt sheet. A resource directory of mental health APPS, helplines and websites to support staff with signposting and sharing of information that is appropriate to need.
Promoting Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Preventing Self-Harm and Suicide: A series of animations co-produced by NHS Education for Scotland and Public Health Scotland. Developed to support the knowledge and skills of those in health, social care, and the wider public sectors who need to be informed about mental health, self-harm, and suicide prevention in relation to children and young people.
Child and Youth Mental Health Supports: A document which maps out the range of available mental health supports for children and young people to access, including websites and helplines.
Peer Help and Social Media
Love it or loathe it – digital and social media is here to stay. In less than a lifetime, digital devices and the internet have infiltrated every corner of our lives. Digital is the medium by which most young people conduct their lives; nearly all children went online in 2021 (99%), and the majority used a mobile phone (72%) or tablet (69%) to do so.
These young people don’t see a distinction between their online and offline lives. They are familiar with digital tools and know their way around them. In addition, some of the characteristics of the online world – anonymity and privacy – make it easier to talk about sensitive, potentially embarrassing subjects like their own mental health.
Helpful resources
Aye Mind: We have developed a platform for anyone who works with children and young people to help them embrace digital tools to support their mental health and wellbeing. It includes practical ‘how-to’ guides for implementing digital tools in your local area, a directory of the latest digital tools and technologies, and a range of information on digital tools and technologies.
Online Harms – Useful Websites, Helplines, and Reporting Mechanisms: A document outlining the range of helplines, websites, and reporting mechanisms to support those who have experienced a variety of online harms. This includes cyberbullying, harassment, hate crime, online gambling-related harms, online sexual exploitation and abuse, scams and fraud, and content promoting eating disorders, self-harm, or suicide.
