Care experienced young people face a unique set of challenges. Many who have experienced poor mental health feel let down by services who provide standardised support that does not consider their experiences as a young person in care and how this impacts their wellbeing.
People Achieving Change (PAC), Glasgow’s care experienced young people’s champions’ group, sought to further understand the feelings of their peers and produce a piece of research to shape future policy.
Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), acting on behalf of PAC, commissioned SMG to conduct research with care experienced young people aged 12-26 to understand their mental health needs. We co-produced the research alongside members of PAC, supported a diverse stakeholder network of professionals working with the HSCP.
We employed a mixed method approach, using an online survey to gather high level information about the current state of young people’s mental health, and their use and experience of services. We followed this up by undertaking depth interviews with a number of respondents to learn ‘their story’ and bring the challenges faced to life.
Our comprehensive written report brought together the quantitative and qualitative findings of the research, leading to series of recommendations that PAC and the corporate bodies that support them could use to influence policy makers. As part of this report, anonymous vignettes were used to highlight the stories of young people and bring their challenges to life.
You can read the report here.