Pictured at the roundtable event are (from left), Lorna Ballard, Louise Kearney, Siobhan O’Neill, Donna Downey and Bronwyn Campbell.

Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland, Professor Siobhan O’Neill, recently visited Ebrington, Derry~Londonderry, to hear first-hand how Family Support Hubs are supporting local people.

 Organised by the Western Health and Social Care Trust and chaired by Action for Children, a roundtable discussion on Thursday 8 May was designed to showcase the work of the eight Family Support Hubs from across the Western Trust.

Donna Downey (Western Trust) and Bronwyn Campbell (Strategic Planning and Performance Group, Department of Health) introduced the background and context of Family Support Hubs. Essentially, a Family Support Hub is multi-agency network of statutory, community and voluntary organisations that provide or signpost to early intervention services. Hubs are a part of the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP).

Each of the Hubs gave a short presentation on their area, including the challenges they face and as examples of success stories they are proud of.

Attendees then had an opportunity to hear from Ms O’Neill herself. She said she was ‘really struck’ by the ‘passion and commitment’ of the Hubs’ staff and was moved by the case studies they shared with her.

She echoed the presenters’ concerns about the rates of poverty in Northern Ireland and how that underpins so many aspects of people’s lives, including their mental health.

Ms O’Neill also answered a number of questions, including how to make government understand the needs of people on the ground.

She said: “There’s this misguided idea that if we could just get more people back to work then there would be more money in the economy and everything would be fine – that’s just wrong.

“What we really need first and foremost is a healthy population that are fit and well. The cost of poor mental health is £3.4 billion annually here. We’re fighting a battle against short-termism – early intervention, parenting support, Sure Starts and so on is where money needs to be going.”

 Other questions included Ms O’Neill’s position on linking and utilising key pieces of legislation, including a Mental Health Strategy and an Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland. She agreed that policies and strategies need to be aligned and actually implemented, and she said she would be seeking a meeting with the Department of Health to raise a number of the issues that were highlighted at the event.

Speaking after the event, Donna Downey (WHSCT) said: “It was a pleasure to meet with Siobhan O’Neill and share the innovative work the Family Hubs. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the professionalism and commitment of all of the staff who work collaboratively with families every day.”

Louise Kearney (Action for Children) added: “In the North-West the statutory and community and voluntary sectors work ‘hand in glove’ to make sure that vulnerable children, young people and families are supported and given the chance to thrive.

 “Mental health underpins so much of the work we do so we’re delighted that Ms O’Neill has been able to hear about the challenges we face, and also learn about the stellar work that’s happening. Family Support Hub model has potential for further growth and development to support more people in local communities.”