The HSE has marked the “highly commended” designation given to a Co. Wexford based project in the most recent national Health Service Excellence Awards.
Developed by its North Co. Wexford Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) team and titled “Communication and Connection: A music group partnership for teenagers attending CAMHS”, the project was lauded among entries in the “Innovation in Service Delivery” category of the annual Awards scheme.
The Health Service Excellence Awards aim to encourage and inspire people to develop better health services. The awards also promote shared learning for other teams through the award winner’s success stories.
The basis for the “Communication and Connection” project in North Co. Wexford arose from the area’s CAMHS team (based in Arnold House, Enniscorthy) reflecting on the increase of young people attending their service and being identified with language and communication needs, in turn requiring a cost effective treatment being formulated. In light of the significant relationship between music and communication, the CAMHS team entered into a collaboration with Music Generation Wexford.
Music Generation is a national music education programme whose mission is to empower children and young people to realise their full potential through access to, and participation in, high quality performance music education. It strives to transform children and young people’s lives by giving them opportunities to create, play and perform music in their own communities and on their own terms.
With support also from Wexford Co. Council and the Wexford Co. Enterprise Board, the “Communication and Connection” project was launched on a pilot basis two years ago and featured a CAMHS Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) led music group intervention for teenagers attending its service. The intervention provided for teenagers focused on recovery and supporting young people who have mental health disorders and experience significant difficulty communicating at home and school.
Taking up the story, Clinical Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with the HSE’s North Wexford CAMHS team Sheryl John says:
“A number of services users on our Speech and Language Therapy waiting list identified difficulty communicating at school and in particular group work and speaking/having conversations with peers. It was significantly affecting their mental health including social anxiety, low mood and harm ideation. Where there was a reluctance to attend group therapy, a cohort identified an openness to attending a music group.”
“In August 2022, a planning meeting between CAMHS and Music Generations took place to identify shared aims and strategic planning. CAMHS objectives included providing a safe group space, decrease social anxiety, improve mood and general well-being, improve self-esteem and decrease self-harm. Speech and Language Therapy objectives included developing confidence in being part of a group, developing confidence in communicating with peers, developing expression of emotions and building on receptive and expressive language skills. Music Generations objectives included creativity, inclusivity, encouragement and improve music skills. Music Generation Wexford funded music facilitators and music equipment.”
“The collaborative project then ran once a week for one hour from September 2022 to June 2023. A two day song-writing workshop was introduced, following feedback and it led to a live performance on stage in Enniscorthy, featuring the songs the young people had written.”
“There were good outcomes. Participants reported improvement in anxiety and well-being, young people re-engaged with instruments, mood improved and music was used as a coping strategy. There was high attendance and a reduction also noticeable in our Speech and Language Therapy intervention waiting list. School attendance improved and self-harm ideation reduced. Some of the service users went on to engage in local community music groups.”
Speaking recently in Arnold House, Enniscorthy, where she came to make a presentation of appreciation to the CAMH team, Anne Donaghey (Head of Service/Mental Health, HSE/South East Community Healthcare) said:
“I am delighted, on behalf of their colleagues across the HSE, to formally extend our congratulations to the North Co. Wexford CAMHS team on their achievement in the Health Service Excellence Awards.”
“The project that Sheryl and her team colleagues have led out on, with the fantastic co-operation of Music Generation and other supporters locally, is an excellent example of the person centred approach that is emphasised in the ‘Sharing The Vision: A Mental Health Policy for Everyone’ national strategy. It’s also clear that partnerships such as the ‘Communication and Connection’ project in North Co. Wexford are an effective way for providing group intervention, reducing waiting lists and improving service user’s mental health. We look forward to further exploration of such opportunities.”
