Care Experienced Therapeutic Wellbeing Service

 

We all have times when we feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared and anxious, which can be hard to make sense of or know where to go for help.

That is where the Therapeutic Wellbeing Service for care experienced people can help.

Young people with experience of being in care have let us know that after housing, mental health is the area they need the most support with. In response, we have created this service so that young people aged 16-25 who are leaving or have recently left care can access specialised support for their wellbeing.

 

If you are in need of support around your wellbeing, with your permission, your Personal Advisor or Social Worker (PA/SW) can ask to chat with us about how best to support you.

We may give your PA/SW advice on how to help you navigate any difficulties you’re facing, suggest community services you could get in touch with, or advocate for your needs with other professionals. For some of you, we may offer you an appointment to meet with us directly to explore what therapeutic support you may benefit from.

We will look for solutions that work for you and your unique situation, so we may incorporate more than one of the options above.
  • Sleep problems
  • Intrusive thoughts
  • Worry or feelings of panic
  • Social anxiety
  • Bad memories
  • Managing emotions
  • Eating difficulties
  • Dealing with loss
  • Worries about mental health
  • Feeling low
These are just examples, and there may be other things that are impacting your wellbeing that we will be happy to support with.
We will discuss information sharing with you and keep things confidential as agreed, but there might be times when we need to speak with other people about the work we do. If that’s the case, we will ask your permission and be open with you about why this is necessary.

People we may need to share information with include your GP and other professionals involved in your care. If we have concerns about your safety or someone else’s, we might need to contact crisis or emergency services.
The first appointment will focus on identifying what support would be most suitable for your needs. We will make a plan together for any future sessions, where you would see the same practitioner each time so that you can build a relationship with them. These sessions could take place at a healthcare centre, council offices or another community setting. You could be seen on your own or with a carer/professional who you are already comfortable with.

If you have strong feelings on where you would like to meet or whether you would like to be seen on your own or with someone else, please let your PA/SW know.
In the first instance, you can speak with your PA/SW about your wellbeing needs. Or, if you are meeting with us directly, you can let us or your PA/SW know what is working or not working for you. This way, we can always adjust our approach to suit you better. Our service was created for you, and we would love to hear your feedback. Let us know what was helpful and unhelpful, as this will help us to improve. You can share your thoughts with us by scanning the QR code or emailing us at childsc.careexperiencedtherapeuticwellbeing-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

You can also use these to give a compliment, make a complaint, or ask a question.

 

Meet the team

Our team is made up of professionals who are trained in mental health, psychological therapies, working with trauma, and how thoughts, emotions and behaviours can be connected in complex ways.

We understand that the transition into adulthood and adult services can be tricky, and we are here to make sure you are linked in with the right people at the right time for you.

The current team is made up of Naomi, Sara, and Sandra. You can get to know them below!

Naomi

“Hi, I’m Naomi. I’m a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist based in Devon County Council working alongside care experienced young people. I’ve worked in lots of different roles within Devon and Somerset mental health services. In my spare time, I love being in the outdoors, and you will often find me up on Dartmoor or down on Devon’s lovely beaches.”

 

Sara

“My name is Sara, and I am committed to helping young people find therapeutic solutions that work for you – this means thinking about your unique identity, circumstances, and culture. I started in post in October and work across Exeter and South Devon. Outside of work, I enjoy Latin dancing and baking cakes.”

 

Sandra

“I am Sandra, and I am passionate about supporting young people to overcome traumatic experiences so that you may develop and grow into the people you want to be. I’m determined to do all I can to advocate for and improve access to the right support for care experienced young people. In my free time, I love walking my dog in nature or being in water, enjoying floating in a pool or the sea.”