Families from Norfolk and Suffolk needed for study on children's mental health support
It's being run by the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT).
The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) is appealing for families to take part in a new research study aimed at creating a package which will help parents and carers to build their children's resilience and support their mental health.
The study, called ASPIRE, wants to help children who've been through traumatic or stressful events, including: abuse, family break-up, being bullied, or experiencing a serious illness.
The intervention is aimed at helping parents and carers build their children's resilience, therefore reducing the chances that child will go on to develop mental health difficulties.
Brioney Gee, Acting Research Development Lead for Children, Families and Young People's Services with NSFT and ASPIRE Lead, said: "This study is about co-producing a new support package for families, together with people who have relevant personal experience.
"The young people we spoke to when we were planning the research told us about the important role that parents and carers can play in supporting their mental health.
"Because of this, the new support package will aim to empower a child's carer - be it their mum, dad or someone else who is looking after them - to use evidence-based techniques to build their child's resilience, rather than a professional working with the young person directly."
Tina, who is a parent/carer representative taking part in the research, said she is really excited to be involved with ASPIRE.
"This is something very close to my heart," she said. "My role is to try and be the voice of the parents and carers of young people who have experienced adverse childhood experiences.
"Things can happen in life that are not in our control as parents, and we can feel a bit lost or hopeless at times. ASPIRE gives real hope that helping parents and carers can improve everyone's life as early as possible.
"I have seen the effects that adverse childhood experiences can have on children's lives. It is massively important to me to help co-design and co-produce new ways to shift the balance towards better resilience.
"It is also my belief that if a parent or carer can help to heal the child, that really helps them heal themselves and the family at the same time."
Anyone who would like to find out more about the project or get involved in the research can email aspire@nsft.nhs.uk or visit this website.