ForMi is an online tool that enables young people to take control and ownership of their plan and associated goals. ForMi  is a strength-based system that takes the young person, supported by a named mentor, through a process of agreeing and recording.

1. A strength-based profile including what is important to them;
2. A set of high-level goals, and rating these goals on a 0-10 scale in terms of progress;
3. Actions, things that need to be done to achieve the goals;
4. A Circle of Support, anyone who can help the young person achieve their goals;

All the above is recorded on an online Control Panel by the organisation. The young person, their Mentor and anyone else in their Circle of Support, then has access to the ForMi app.

The ForMi app allows the young person the post pictures, videos and comments of what they are doing in relation to their goals – this is their Story. It works very much like social media apps. The Circle of Support can see the young person’s Story in real time, and provide ongoing encouragement through comments or posts of their own.

Finally, reviews can be recorded on the Control Panel by the Mentor, in conversation with the young person. Meetings notes are recorded, together with new ratings for each goal. But most importantly, the system pulls in the rich story of progress from the App, providing tangible evidence of progress.

Even though ForMi is a digital solution, it is founded on meaningful conversations and storytelling. It also supports joined-up working by professionals who will often work for different services. Finally, it is a highly effective and efficient way to support young people, often remotely.

Below is a video testimonial from Denbighshire County Council’s Therapeutic Service.

It is widely understood that the Mental Health of Looked after Children (LAC) is poorer than that of the general population. The experience of children and young people in care is often fractured, with multiple placement moves, placement breakdown, and interrupted education/changes to schools & interrupted treatment from therapeutic services. This further compounds the young person’s sense of isolation and loneliness. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on looked-after children, young people’s mental and emotional health and wellbeing, as well as their educational progress, cannot be underestimated. Although children have been less affected by the virus in terms of infection and mortality rates, multiple statutory agencies have raised concerns about lost learning and greater safeguarding risks to this vulnerable group during lockdown. COVID-19 has disrupted practitioners’ relationships with children and families and the longer-term impact on children and young people, is not yet known.

The Project:

To offer Children’s residential care homes mental health training, education and support for young people requiring urgent mental health and social care support in North Wales.

The project’s goal is to provide a core-training programme to a pilot cohort of residential Children’s homes in the BCUHB central area.

Suicide is a leading cause of death for young people and until the emergence of an adapted DBT protocol for this group there has been no evidence-based intervention to address their problems.

The DBT in Secondary Schools project in Denbighshire started in 2018, and has been running every year in three secondary schools since this time, delivering a mix of one to one counselling/skills practices, small group sessions and parent groups depending on the school.

The aim is to further develop this project in primary schools, initially through the development of a mindfulness group to see what is feasible.

The challenge longer term is the sustainability of the service, both in secondary schools, and well as in primary schools, if a service can be developed that suits the needs of these children.

This project aims to develop a virtual/hybrid early multi-disciplinary intervention team that meets three times per week. The team will discuss early help and prevention referrals from the secondary school catchment area of Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones Amlwch. Its aim is to prevent duplication and ensure that children and families have the right support at the right time enhancing our Right Door approach to early help and prevention referrals. The project builds on early intervention and prevention work that has been taking part in the County.

It is hoped that the project will have the following impacts:

• referrals received for children and families who require support, and the implementation of timely support to help them work towards better outcomes.
• the development of a network of partner organisations working together to support children and families in Ynys Mon
• the development of an evidence-based approach for the future direction of the work
• Reduce the number f children referred to statutory services.
• Develop an alternative funding model for early help and prevention services.

Reduce levels of poverty experienced by families by streamlining and making those information and advice services more accessible.

This project aims to revolutionise how children and adolescents receive their care whilst they are referred and are waiting for mental health services. With key partners, this project will help the cohort maintain good mental wellbeing and reduce the burden on healthcare professionals and direct children to non-clincial voluntary sector and community assets that will assist them to “wait well”, prevent further deterioration of their wellbeing and enable self-care and management.

The web based resource provides a journalling function and supports the movement happening in health and social care to social prescribing. Based on the individuals needs and motivations, patients will be able to easily access community-based support.

Campfire Cymru is a social enterprise working to reduce barriers to participation in outdoor activities. We facilitate programmes and deliver training in forest school, outdoor learning, play and well-being in nature.  Our Forest Families programme works with families with disabilities, neurodivergence and anxiety, with regular sessions for families running in Flintshire, Wrexham and Denbighshire.  Alongside this, we run regular peer support and wellbeing in nature sessions for parents and carers of families with disabilities in Denbighshire and Flintshire.  We also run wilderness therapeutic programmes which incorporate nature based therapeutic approaches alongside bushcraft activities. We work with around 70 parents/ carers and 50 young people at a time across our projects in North East Wales. Many of these people participate with us over several years, some of them go on to train, volunteer or work with us.  90% of our staff and contractors have lived experience as carers or their own neurodivergency.

In a recent Campfire Cymru survey, respondents reported that being the parent or carer of a child with a disability or additional needs led to them feeling socially isolated. 100% of them agreed that our parent & carer sessions, ‘provide opportunities to be sociable / to make friends / feel less isolated.’  And that, ‘sessions give me emotional support which helps me be strong to help my child’.

Parents say:

About Us

Your Space is a charity for young people with Autistic Spectrum Condition and their families. Young people do not need a diagnosis to access our services as this can be a long process for some families and this means there is no wait for them to access our much-needed activities, respite and support.

We are based at Llay Resource Centre in Wrexham, but we have young people registered with us from across North Wales and surrounding areas.

What we do

Activities – We run fun, engaging and social after-school activities and holiday clubs. Our activities include, art sensory play, ball skills, music, social clubs, family days out, pizza parties and swim nights. All our sessions are inclusive and led by the interest of the young people attending them. Our staff are caring and passionate about giving our young people the highest standard of during our activities.

“K did really well today and I’m so grateful to the team for taking such good care of him. Ever since K joined ‘Your Space’ I have always felt he is fully supported, and I have no concerns leaving him. As a parent this is hard, because K is quite a complex character and heavily reliant on me. I can’t thank you enough for all you do. It gives me much needed quality time with my daughter which is so important.”

Family Outreach Service – Your Space provide valuable support and advice for families of young people with Autistic Spectrum Condition and those awaiting diagnosis. Our Family Outreach Team provide 1-1 support for parents, they are a listening ear, give advice and signpost to other agencies. They run regular parent support group which include training and information sharing whilst also providing a safe space to share what they are going through with people who truly understand. Your Space also offer counselling to parents and carers as well as young people with Autism and related conditions.

“The outreach service have made an amazing and huge difference in making me feel supported and like am not alone, I am coping with everything that has been going on. The help and support I have received has made the world of difference and kept me going during one of the darkest times in my life.”

Advocate – We are advocates for young people with autism and their families. Our Family Outreach Team regularly attend meetings with schools and social services to support our parents and carers getting the best for their child. Your Space are passionate about affecting change and making the system work for our families.

Contact Information

Office – 01978856859

Activities and general enquiries – admin@yourspacemarches.co.uk

Family Outreach Team – outreach@yourspacemarches.co.uk

Website – www.yourspacewales.co.uk

Facebook – www.facebook.com/yourspacewales

X – @Your_Space123

GISDA is a charity working with homeless and vulnerable young people in Gwynedd. It runs various projects ranging from support and accommodation, LGBT Project, employability project, young parents, ICAN low level Mental Health Service and a project for young care leavers. It supports around 450 young people per year most of whom are very vulnerable. Some are extremely vulnerable and receive Tier 1 mental Health services from CAHMS and Adults Mental Health Services.

The CAMHS GP In Reach project aims to build on the earlier Family Wellbeing Service in Primary Care by embedding a Family Wellbeing Practitioner in each GP surgery within the local primary care clusters across the BCUHB region of North Wales, with the view of providing a consistent and equitable service across the region.

The project provides a way of supporting the early identification and promotion of good mental health for children and young people who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing a mental health disorder. The Family Wellbeing Practitioner provides:

• training and consultation for GP’s and associated primary care staff
• consultations for children, young people, families/carers who need early mental health support (but don’t require specialist mental health services) and intervention.