Wandsworth Care Alliance

New research project: Autism and mental health for children and young people

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Healthwatch Wandsworth’s 2024-2025 research priority is children and young people’s experiences of autism and mental health.

Healthwatch Wandsworth speaks to the local community about their experiences with health and social care services. We then share this information with services to make changes.

Based on feedback from local people, Healthwatch Wandsworth, as the independent champion for users of health and social care, is focusing on autism diagnosis for 0-8 year olds in 2024-5.

Across Wandsworth and England there is an unprecedented number of people seeking an autism diagnosis and wait times to move through the autism diagnosis pathway are lengthy. Often this means people are not getting the support they need as they wait. These delays in diagnosis and support have severe impacts on mental health (Morris J (2024) “The rapidly growing waiting lists for autism and ADHD assessments” QualityWatch: Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).

We will survey the families and carers of children and young people with autism spectrum condition to explore the following questions:

  • What does a ‘good’ 0-8 year old autism spectrum condition diagnostic pathway look like?
  • How can children and families get the support they need without a diagnosis?

If you’re a family member or carer of a child who is seeking or already has an autism diagnosis, we want to hear from you. Please complete this survey and/or share it with others in the community to make your and their voice heard.

Take the survey.

Hicky’s journey to becoming a trustee

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How it started?

I was working at Age UK Wandsworth (AUW) and had been since the start of my 3rd sector career in 2004, having started out as a volunteer for both their popular Out & About and Be-a-Friend services, before becoming a staff member in Volunteer Management and Events Fundraising. 

Our AUW CEO was a co-opted Trustee of Wandsworth Community Transport (WCT), and she was keen to step down, to give someone else the opportunity to become a member of their Board of Trustees.

I was not someone to put myself forward for things, but with her encouragement, I joined as a Trustee of WCT in February 2014. I remember my first Board meeting well, thinking ‘what am I doing here, and what have I got to offer’.

It feels like yesterday, but it’s clearly not, it’s years and I’m now Chair of the WCT Board, having been nominated for this role when our previous Chair stepped down in December 2020. 

It’s all been a learning experience, and I wholeheartedly recommend becoming a Trustee to anyone, and indeed I always suggest it to my staff team in the charity I lead in my ‘day job’.  It’s a real privilege and an incredible opportunity to learn the inner workings of charities and meet a diverse mix of people whilst supporting local people.

Why I joined?

Joining a Board is a great thing to do, everyone is a first-time Trustee once, no matter how confident and experienced they seem, or become. 

Everyone has something to offer, unique perspectives and points of view are essential, for a mixed and balanced Board, if everyone was the same, thought the same, and came from similar backgrounds, it would make for a dull and very one-dimensional Board.

Whilst I work in the charity sector, it’s not a requirement – Boards need a mix of people from different sectors, with differing skills, from their careers to date, with transferrable skills and life experiences.

It was during the Pandemic that I chose to become a Trustee of another charity that supported my local community, here in Wandsworth; accordingly, I did some research as to what roles were available locally.  I was delighted to see that Wandsworth Care Alliance (WCA) were looking for Trustees at the time, just like they are now!

As the CVS (Council for Voluntary Services) for Wandsworth, WCA are the umbrella charity for our borough, here to support and strengthen the sector, bringing together people and charities, here in our shared community.

WCA also have the Healthwatch Wandsworth contract, which was of real interest to me. 

But what also drew me to applying is, what great people the staff team are, expertly led and guided by their CEO, Jason. Knowing how warm and kind everyone at WCA is, was a real draw for me, particularly as joining their Board felt different, as this time I completed an application for the role and had an interview (however informal it was in reality), as opposed to with WCT, where it was something, I segued into.

I’ve never looked back, being part of the WCA Board team has been great, right from the start and over the course of the past 3 years.  I’ve learned lots and met lovely people.

I would encourage anyone to consider becoming a Trustee, for so many reasons such as:
1. It’s an opportunity to give back.
2. A chance to support positive change in our community.
3. A learning experience and a chance to make new friends.

Undecided if it’s for you? Do you have any questions? If so, please email HR@wandcareall.org.uk and they’ll arrange for us to have an informal conversation; it would be good to have a chat about the difference you can make for our shared community, and indeed how being a Trustee could be great for you, your CV and how you can learn new skills.

To apply for the trustee role click here.

Addressing violence and abuse against children and young people

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Children and young people are the most vulnerable members of our society, yet many continue to suffer in silence from various forms of violence and abuse.

This topic requires urgent attention and action from individuals and communities. By shedding light on this problem and working together to address it’s root causes, we can create safer environments where children and young people can thrive.

Violence and abuse against children and young people can take many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological abuse, as well as neglect.

The impact

According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated one billion children aged 2-17 worldwide are affected by violence each year. These experiences can have long-lasting and devastating effects on their physical health, mental well-being, and overall development.

Survivors of violence and abuse may experience mental health problems and without the appropriate support the problems can affect many aspects of their lives such as relationships, education, careers, and overall quality of life.

Prevention

Having appropriate systems and procedures in place can help massively in addressing the issue.The right education and awareness on children’s rights, healthy relationships can allow children to spot signs and report any concerns. Also creating supportive environments for children in schools, communities and homes is also important to allow them to feel comfortable to seek help or advice.

Support

There are various organisations that provide support, guidance, and a safe space to speak about any concerns you have.

The Cassandra Centre – they provide advice, support and counselling services for young people and families who are directly or indirectly involved in abusive relationships.

Britebox, Richmond Women’s Hub – provide support to women to enable them to thrive after experiencing domestic violence.

S.T.O.R.M Family Centre – they provide free counselling services art therapy and sensory therapy. Even if you are not a sufferer or survivor of domestic abuse, they can help with any issues you may be experiencing.

Do you have more resources to share on this article? Please email us on communications@wandcareall.org.uk to share resources.

Upcoming volunteer related events

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We have lots of exciting volunteering related events coming up! Be sure to get involved and don’t miss out on a great opportunity to network and meet new people.

Volunteers thank you event, Monday 3rd June:

Volunteers thank you event banner
This event is for both Wandsworth Care Alliance and Healthwatch Wandsworth volunteers to come and celebrate all their fantastic contributions.

Join us for activities and games to encourage reflection on volunteering and to connect with fellow volunteers. There will also be a raffle for tickets to exhibitions and events in London!

Feel free to drop in for part of the event or join us from start to finish. If you require any accessibility adjustments, please let us know.

Sign up here.

Voluntary Sector Forum, Wednesday 5th June:

Volunteer sector forum event banner

This event is for both volunteers and organisations to join in on our discussion of all things volunteering.

Join us for a forum meeting with special guests to discuss all things volunteering. We’ll be inviting local experts to host discussions about all aspects of volunteering from:

– Engaging businesses

– Working with funders

– Hearing from volunteers themselves

You’ll get to learn new skills and meet other organisations over refreshments to talk about challenges, opportunities, and new ways of working to engage people in our causes.

Save your spot here.

Volunteer involving organisations, Wednesday 3rd July:

Volunteer involving organisations event banner
This event is for organisations who would like to learn more about how best to engage volunteers in their organisation.

Join us to learn useful tools and tips for engaging volunteers with benefits, find out where to get more support and resources, and meet other people working on volunteering.

Save your spot.

Managing stress: tips and resources

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Stress is something we all feel sometimes, and some stress is normal. However, when it becomes regular and makes day-to-day tasks feel impossible to handle, that’s when we need to take appropriate actions to help us better manage it.

Here are a few tips that may help in managing your stress levels.

  • Exercise regularly: Engage in physical activity like walking, jogging, yoga, or dancing to release endorphins, which are natural stress relievers.
  • Healthy lifestyle: Maintain a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and avoid lots of caffeine and alcohol, as they can increase stress.

  • Time management: set tasks in order and set realistic goals to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Break tasks into smaller, simple steps.

  • Practice mindfulness or meditation: Take a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness or meditation to create a sense of calmness and focus.

  • Connecting with others: Share your feelings with friends, family, a support group, or anyone you trust. Social connections can provide emotional support and comfort during stressful times.

  • Setting boundaries: Learn to say no to additional responsibilities if you’re feeling overloaded. Setting boundaries helps prevent burnout.

  • Taking regular breaks: Include short breaks in your day to rest and recharge. Even a few minutes of relaxation can help reduce stress levels.

  • Hobbies: Give time to activities you enjoy, whether it’s reading, painting, gardening, playing music, dancing, or other sports. Hobbies can provide a much-needed escape from stress.

  • Seek professional help: If stress becomes overwhelming or persistent, consider seeking support from a therapist or counsellor who can provide coping methods and support tailored to your needs.

Remember that managing stress is an ongoing process, and it’s important to find techniques that work best for you.

Resources:

Wandsworth wellbeing hub – This is a great resource sharing various health and wellbeing services in the Wandsworth Borough. Learn more.

Events:

Walk Wandsworth: An event hosted by Enable offering a free walk led by volunteers, guiding, and encouraging people to build up their physical activity at a pace that suits them. Learn more here.

Women’s dance class: A Women’s Dance Class is taking place at Roehampton Holy Trinity Church on Friday evenings from 19th April. It’s suitable for all levels and is a mix of jazz, contemporary and ballet.
To learn more and to book your place contact: verenanash@hotmail.com

Free guys get active programme: A free 12-week health programme for men of all abilities who live or work in Wandsworth.
Learn more.

Live karma yoga: A range of different yoga classes adults and children.
Learn more.

Deaba’s Lunch: On the first Friday of every month, open to all members of the community to come along and talk, meet new people and eat food. Contact: 02072283488 or 07931234776 or email deaba@deabascatering.co.uk.

Free salsa dance classes: Free weekly beginners and improvers level salsa classes for anyone looking to learn the basics, scrub up their salsa skills, get active and meet new people. 
Learn more and get your tickets.

Do you have more resources to share on this article? Please email us on communications@wandcareall.org.uk to share resources.

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