The Derby Cares Campaign by Bridge the Gap Child Mental Health is a community-driven initiative aimed at improving child mental health in Derby. Derby Cares invites businesses, individuals, volunteers, and fundraisers to join in providing crucial support to local children and families.
Through Derby Cares fundraising we offer small group emotional literacy sessions and are expanding our early support hubs, allowing children and parents to access help without an appointment. Through these initiatives, Derby Cares strives to create a city where every child feels valued, supported, and proud to live.
Why are we crowdfunding?
The demand for child mental health support has never been higher. At Bridge the Gap Child Mental Health C.I.C., we've seen a dramatic increase in the number of families in Derby reaching out for help. With primary school-aged children and those with additional needs particularly struggling to access long-term support, it's clear that immediate, accessible support is essential. We've been able to provide vital assistance through our community hubs and small group projects, which teach children about emotions and boost self-esteem; these were partly funded by our last Crowdfunder, however, with our waitlist growing and Monday morning crisis calls doubling in the last six months, we need your help to meet this urgent need.
How we’ll spend the money raised
Our Goal: We have secured a new premises at St. Mary's Gate, which will allow us to expand our services, including a community café and additional rooms for private support. However, this move comes with significant costs. We need support to cover not only the day-to-day operations of our expanded services but also the expenses associated with renovating and setting up the new building. Your contribution will help ensure that we can create a welcoming, safe, and supportive environment for children and families in need.
Additionally, we aim to fund a full-time on-call duty service, available from 9 AM to 12 PM, five days a week. All of our practitioners will rotate to be on call during these hours, providing immediate support for parents and children. Families can access this support by calling ahead to arrange a same-day appointment or by simply dropping into our new community café, where they can speak to a practitioner in person. The duty worker will offer a range of services, from providing therapeutic input and emotional support to helping families navigate local services and the NHS. Whether a child needs help managing anxiety, dealing with anger, or simply needs someone to talk to, our team will be there to provide the right support at the right time.
Why This Matters:
- Growing Need: In the last six months, we've seen a 50% increase in emergency support calls from parents who need help right away.
- Local Impact: Across the UK, there has been a dramatic increase in demand for child and adolescent mental health services, with urgent referrals tripling since 2019. In Derby, this national trend is reflected in the growing strain on local services, with many families still facing long waits and difficulties accessing timely mental health care.
- Support Gap: Children with additional needs and their families often struggle to find appropriate, accessible services, leading to increased stress and worsening mental health.
What We Need: To make this service a reality, we need to raise a minimum of £900 per week to cover the cost of our duty worker, supervision, administration, and essential resources like our custom-designed activity books. Additionally, we require funds to cover the costs of our move and the renovation of our new premises to create a suitable and supportive environment for all who come through our doors.
How You Can Help: Your donation will directly fund the staff, resources, and infrastructure necessary to keep this service running. Additionally, through our Derby Carers Campaign, local businesses can get involved by fundraising for us as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. No matter the size of your business, you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families in Derby.
Make a Difference: Your support can help us bridge the gap in Derby’s child mental health services, ensuring that no child or family has to wait for the help they need. Together, we can create a community where every child feels supported and valued.
Join us in making Derby a place where all children can thrive.
Who are we?
We are an Emotional Literacy based service, combining healthcare and education, helping children to explore and understand their emotions, how they feel in their body and why they might be feeling different emotions.. We create a safe space for children to learn different ways of how to respond to different emotions, and then support them in being able to put strategies into action.
We are a non-clinical service and operate as a 'Relationship Focused Model'. This means we work to build safe relationships with children and young people, as well as those important to them; working longer-term with a child or young person for the best long-term outcomes.
Although we operate as a non-medical model we do work with clinically informed processes and practices.
We want every child to know that they matter, they are loved and they are not alone...
Community impact
Why We Matter:
- Support for Children & Families: We provide essential mental health support for children, helping them thrive academically and socially. Our services also equip families with the tools they need to support their children effectively.
- Community Well-being: By raising awareness and reducing stigma, we foster a more understanding and supportive community. Early intervention helps prevent more serious issues later on.
- Educational Impact: Our support enhances school performance and social skills, creating a more inclusive and empathetic educational environment.
- Economic Benefits: Investing in mental health now reduces long-term costs and builds a stronger future workforce.
- Stronger Community Services: We collaborate with schools and local organisations, boosting the network of support available to families and children.
When other services turn away children because they don't meet the threshold for support then we can help, even offering informal support can make a huge difference. Accessing group sessions and our adult and child workshops can improve the outcomes and life of the child and also their family.