Harrogate mental health charity to offer more counselling for young people

Emily Fullarton, the charity’s chief executive officer, said: “In a year where many charities were forced to close or reduce their services, we were delighted to see a small growth in the number of sessions we were able to offer.

“The increase in mental health problems for children and young people is of particular concern. Sadly, only one in three children and young people with a diagnosable mental health condition get access to NHS care and treatment.

“In a recent survey 76 per cent of parents said that their child’s mental health had deteriorated while waiting for support from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (Camhs). Nationally, data suggests suicide rates in young people aged 15 to 19 have recently risen by a third.

“Meanwhile last year, 34 per cent of adults said their mental health had worsened due to pressures from the cost-of-living crisis, which was on top of an already increased rate due to the Covid pandemic.

“These statistics are deeply troubling, as behind each one is a real human story of struggle and resilience.”

She added: “We are doing everything we can to help. Apart from increasing the counselling sessions we offer, we also opened our first Wellspring Counselling Centre in partnership with a charity, Shine, based out of St Stephen’s Church in West Bowling, Bradford.

“We also have a strong and well-respected reputation in our community and have established relationships with other services and local schools.”

The local Mental Health Children’s Commissioner supports Wellspring’s work, saying: “The charity helps alleviate the growing pressure on NHS Children and Young People’s services and makes a real difference to the lives of children and young people.”

Ms Fullarton added: “We know that private counselling is too expensive for many, which is why we do our very best to keep our charges as low as possible. For example, 47 per cent of adult clients pay £15 or less for their counselling, with some paying as little as £5.

“I’d like to thank our counsellors, who are committed, passionate and invaluable. And I’d also like to thank our community, churches and generous individuals who gave us £101,012.

“We are also grateful to trusts and foundations, who contributed £127,926. Without this incredible generosity, we wouldn’t be able to operate. People who experience our counselling benefit from high-quality, professional, supervised psychotherapy provided face to face. Our counselling team is made up of both experienced and trainee counsellors, as well as voluntary and employed counsellors.

“With a diverse team of counsellors, all bringing different skills, knowledge and experience we are able to match our clients’ needs to an appropriate counsellor.

“Looking ahead, we are committed to continuing to grow our counselling offer, hopefully to 200 sessions by the end of this year. Through our Route One partnership, we expect to support people who will benefit from our service thus, crucially, preventing them needing NHS treatment.”

One of the driving forces behind Shine is Linda Baines, whose husband, the Rt Rev Nick Baines, is the Bishop of Leeds and the patron of Wellspring.

She said: “West Bowling isn’t just one of the most deprived areas of Bradford, it is one of the most deprived areas in the UK. The work that both Shine and Wellspring do here is absolutely invaluable. We do our very best to help people of all ages, religious beliefs and ethnicities to find a brighter and happier future.

“Shine stands for Social, Health, Inner, Natural and Economic wellbeing. We believe that people need to thrive in all these areas for a fulfilled life. With counselling help from Wellspring, we are now helping over 200 men, women and children every single week.”

To support Wellspring, or hear more about the charity’s services, contact Kennie Cheung at [email protected]