A “lifeline” service offering mental health support for parents and their children in Angus is in danger of folding after funding dried up.
Parent to Parent supports Tayside parents or carers and their children when they are struggling to access NHS or council services.
But at a time when many families are struggling more than ever during the pandemic, the charity’s Carnoustie branch is desperately looking for cash to continue.
It relies on funding from grants and other various private sources and must apply for these every year.
This year the majority of its funding ceased in March and the charity only has a small amount to run a reduced service in the town until March 2022.
‘More and more people are struggling’
Service user Elaine Jamieson has two sets of twins — two girls aged 14 and a boy and a girl aged 10.
The 42-year-old says she is fearful of a future without the organisation.
She said: “If Parent to Parent disappeared, it would be like losing a limb.
“It was there for me when I gave birth to my first set of twins — one of whom needed oxygen — and it’s been there for me and my kids since.
“Waiting times for mental health support are horrendous and the pandemic has made everything that much worse.
“More and more people are struggling and there are more pressures than ever in society and in school.
“Youngsters don’t have that contact with their friends to help but Parent to Parent is always there for them in Carnoustie.”
Parent to Parent supported 1050 parents and 260 children and young people across Tayside between April 2019 and March 2020 and demand has continued throughout the pandemic.
The charity specialises in one-to-one support and training on challenging behaviour in children and also supports parents who are struggling with various pressures in family life.
Many of those to use the service are children with mental health issues, ADHD and autism.
It also steps in to provide general advice and support when families who have nowhere else to go or don’t know where to go.
It has been offering a virtual service since the pandemic hit.
‘Absolute disaster’ if service is cut
Mental health campaigner Matthias Glenday has set up a petition calling for local authorities to make sure the service continues.
He said: “I launched the petition because I was concerned about losing a fantastic volunteer-run mental health service here in Carnoustie.
“As the county comes out of lockdown, we need to be coming together more than ever and supporting each other with whatever means possible.
“Parent to Parent has provided a lifeline for so many over the years, losing it now would be an absolute disaster.
“It desperately needs to secure funding if it is to survive, that is why I am calling on Angus Council and NHS Tayside [who together make up the Angus Health & Social Care Partnership] to provide the resources required to keep this invaluable service going.
“We as a community cannot afford to lose it.”
Head of service at Parent to Parent, Trudy Doidge, says parents have been shocked into action after discovering the charity relies on annual fundraising to stay afloat.
She said: “We support this petition to raise awareness of the continual fight year-to-year to get funding for projects/support.
“Parent to Parent will still have a presence in Carnoustie albeit reduced.
“Additional funding enables us to provide the Child & Family Advocacy service for five hours through a family Support and Advocacy Worker and five hours through a Young Persons Support & Advocacy worker.
‘Support has not ceased’
“This supports 43 families with young people with additional support needs, especially the anxiety issues that accompany these.
“Whilst we are not operating from Carnoustie Medical Practice now, we are continuing for the time being within the community.”
The news comes during Mental Health Awareness Week which has further highlighted the lack of funding for services across the UK.
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “We would like to assure parents that Parent to Parent has not ceased support across Angus.
“Our Additional Support Needs and Children and Families services continue to fund the current contract with the voluntary organisation”.
