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Kerry Jones is a Youth Outreach Worker at 'Inspire' Youth Work in Hospital Project. Alice Wriglesworth is an Assistant Psychologist with North NHS Trust. For communication please email: kerry.jones@.gov.uk

Kerry Jones and Alice Wriglesworth 'Inspire' Youth Work in Hospital Project offers support to young people admitted to Hospital with self-harming behaviours Inspire Youth Work in Hospital Project is 'Inspire' aims to explore with the young a Bridging the Gap - Big Lottery Funded person the support networks available to Project that offers support to young people them. The team believes that giving young admitted to Wrexham Maelor Hospital with people informed choices as to what is self-harming behaviours, including alcohol available and allowing them to take and substance misuse. ownership of these choices will allow them We received funding in 2006 to run a five to increase their support networks, develop year project with the hope that at the end of skills and contribute to their communities. the funding period it will receive core 'Inspire' also aims to support the young funding. It is run as a partnership between person in building functional coping Council and strategies so that they are able to enjoy life North Wales NHS Trust. The official launch and achieve their potential. By enabling the was held in December 2006, with the project young person to enhance their support going 'live' in February 2007. Since the networks and build up functional coping project has been 'live', we have been able to strategies, it is hoped that 'Inspire' will have work towards the outcomes of the project as a role in reducing self-harm readmission laid out in the funding requirements. We rates amongst those who engage with the have engaged with young people, primarily project. on a one-to-one basis. Outcome 2 Outcome 1 Young people admitted to hospital will be Reduce the levels of young people able to maintain or return to family home readmitted to hospital who overdose or or have functional family links. self-harm, by enhancing support networks Hereward Harrison, Children's Director and build up functional coping strategies. of Policy and Research (2001), states that "for According to Hawton et al. (2006), "It is all of us there are a list of things that keep us important to know what sources of help and going in life. Families, friends and school are support, including peer relationships, likely to be high on young people's lists and adolescents who engage in deliberate self- those in crisis experience a reducing list" harm feel available to them and what coping (pp.1). methods they use when they are feeling For this reason, supporting young people worried or upset about something" (pp.149). to maintain functional family links is a key Therefore when a young person is referred element to the project. Families can also play to the service for self-harming behaviour, an integral role in enabling young people to 263a.qxd 02/10/2008 11:45 Page 59

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enjoy life and achieve their potential. and organisations. According to Maslow's Support from their family is considered to (1943) hierarchy of needs, higher needs such be important, not just in times of crisis, but as enjoying life and achieving their potential also in the long-term. Therefore, 'Inspire' can only be achieved once their basic needs, aims to work alongside parents or carers such as shelter, have been met. Therefore, by where appropriate, providing them with working alongside the young person and guidance and education when necessary. relevant agencies, 'Inspire' aims to enable the young person to access safe and Outcome 3 appropriate housing. Young people will maintain or re-establish links with mainstream education Outcome 5 providers, training or employment. Young people consulted with will engage Another of the project's aims is to support in decision making process and/or take up young people in maintaining or re- support offered. establishing links with mainstream As the project is based on youth work education providers, training or principles, the support we offer to young employment (see Harrison, 2001). This will people can and is only taken up on a help young people choose positive activities voluntary basis. which discourage anti-social behaviour. Young people who decide to take up the This can be done through helping them to service are always consulted with in the access college courses or helping them to decision making process and play an active forge links with youth workers, teachers role in deciding what support is offered to and employers who are able to provide them. This is in accordance with objectives them with support. outlined in Everybody's Business (2001) "to Where appropriate, 'Inspire' aims to meet establish child-centred services which take a young person in their school or college into account the views of young people and and, if they feel that their education or work families using them" (pp. 7). has been a predominant factor in the current In light of this we always ask each young issues that they are facing, the team aims to person who engages with 'Inspire' to work with the young person to develop evaluate the service they have received from skills which they can adopt to make their us, any comments or suggestions made by school or college life less stressful and more the young person are taken into account, productive. this therefore provides young people with the opportunity to contribute to their Outcome 4 communities. Young people will be discharged to the family home or into temporary housing, References including hostels, foyer, foster care etc, to prevent them from becoming homeless. Hawton, K. and Rodham, K. with Evans, E. (2006). By Where a young person is not able to Their Own Hand. London: Jessica Kingsley

return to the family home after discharge Harrison, H, as cited in McConville, B. (2001). Saving from hospital, 'Inspire' aims to enable the Young Lives: Calls to Childline about suicide, pp.1 young person to maintain or establish links with temporary housing, care homes, foster Maslow, A. (1943). A Theory of Human Motivation, care, etc. 'Inspire' has spent time researching Psychological Review, 50, 370-396. housing and what is available to young The National Assembly for Wales (2001). Child and people in Wrexham County Borough by Adolescent Mental Health Services Everybody's meeting with local housing departments Business Strategy Document. Crown Copyright 2001.