The Young People's Counselling Service (YPCS), a charity based in Yaxley, Peterborough, is making strides to support parents navigating the complexities of their children's mental health. Established 30 years ago due to a noticeable gap in high-quality therapy services for children and young people, YPCS is now adapting by offering a supportive environment to share experiences without shame. Despite their efforts, the charity ceased providing free therapy services last year due to insufficient external funding.
Alison Graham, the chair and trustee of YPCS, has been at the forefront of these efforts. A parent herself, Graham has witnessed the shortcomings of the children's mental health sector firsthand. She describes the system as "utterly broken," citing its inefficiency and the impact of financial constraints on service quality.
"As a parent myself… and as a professional I saw firsthand how utterly broken the system is, how inefficient, how underfunded and driven by balancing the books… which is not how you invest in the generation that's coming." – Ms Graham
Parents often face blame for their child's challenging behavior, being directed towards parenting courses that may not address the specific needs of neurodivergent children or those who have experienced trauma. To combat this, YPCS launched a support group meeting every two weeks on Wednesday evenings, starting in early September. This initiative aims to provide a space where parents can receive advice and share experiences without judgment.
Alison Graham emphasizes that addressing these issues requires "moral and creative" solutions. She notes that the mental health challenges faced by children extend beyond them, affecting entire families.
"My first patient may have been the child, but then the parents become patients because of the stress and their siblings become patients… it has an impact on the wider family." – Ms Graham
The charity's mission is to bridge the gap left by the lack of funding for children's mental health services. Graham reflects on how conditions have deteriorated over time, underscoring the urgent need for systemic change.
"Things are worse now than when I first became a GP 30 years ago and I think that's that's a horrible observation." – Ms Graham
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