A range of group supports at Kerry CAMHS are offering young people and their families

A range of group supports at Kerry CAMHS are offering young people and their families practical, innovative and free ways to access support and improve their wellbeing.

The HSE South West Caring for Kerry campaign is this week highlighting the many group supports offered to young people by Kerry CAMHS.

Michael Moriarty, General Manager with HSE Kerry explained:

“Bringing young people under the care of CAMHS together in group sessions has many benefits. It allows the CAMHS team to offer its expertise to many young people at the same time. Groups also offer young people the opportunity to meet each other and share their experiences in a safe environment. Feedback from young people and their families has indicated that the groups provide real-life, practical support and are making a real difference in their day-to-day lives.”

Examples of the groups on offer to young people under the care of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services include:

• A Social Navigator Group: Supporting young people to better understand neurodiversity and the different ways people think, feel and experience the world. This is done through open discussions, videos, and interactive activities, and young people are supported to navigate social situations, develop conversation skills, self-acceptance and self-advocacy. For younger children, neurodiversity is introduced in a positive and empowering way, helping them to see their differences as strengths. As young people get older, the groups provide more tailored discussions around topics such as communication and sensory differences, emotional literacy and regulation, masking, perspective-taking, and problem-solving.
• Emotional Literacy Groups: Supporting children and young people to develop the language and understanding needed to recognise, name, discuss, and express their emotions.
• The Transition to Secondary School Group: This group supports young people moving into secondary school and is offered during the summer months, by Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Psychologists. It aims to ease the transition to secondary school by providing young people a space to discuss the changes they may experience, what to expect in secondary school, and practical tips and strategies to support confidence and adjustment. Parents are also offered guidance and support sessions to help them understand and support their child.
• The Supporting School Learning Group: For secondary school students preparing for examinations, this group focuses on developing practical study skills and strategies to support learning and reduce stress around schoolwork and exams. Topics include identifying individual learning styles, developing effective study methods, organising study spaces and routines, managing workload, and building strategies to improve attention, planning, and retention of information. The group aims to help students better understand how they learn best, while promoting confidence, independence, and practical skills that can support both academic performance and overall wellbeing.
• Parent Plus ADHD Children’s Parenting Programme: This group is offered to parents as part of their child’s ADHD pathway with CAMHS. It is designed for parents of primary school-aged children with ADHD. Parents are supported to look at their own self-care; enjoy spending time and connecting with their children; establish good routines and build their child’s self-esteem and independence.
• Transition to 18: For young people over 17.5 years of age who are preparing to move from CAMHS, with the aim of building confidence, increasing their understanding of mental health self-management; developing WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plans) and strengthening identity, autonomy, and support-seeking. This group is supported by our community partners.
• Leisure Engagement Group ‘LEG Up Group’: The group focuses on the promotion of social interaction with peers and focuses on the development of the child’s social communication skills and their physical skills through sports and games.