Why the change?

Since we began in 2012, Care in Mind has grown into a national leader in trauma-informed care for young people with complex mental health needs. Our team has expanded, our services have evolved, and our impact has reached further than ever before. We wanted our branding and website to keep pace with that growth – to reflect our professionalism, compassion, and commitment, while making it easier for people to connect with us.

Before starting, our team had already done a lot of internal work to define our values. Those core values – Committed, Innovative, and Collaborative – became the foundation for the rebrand. The goal was not to reinvent who we are, but to build on those foundations, bringing them to life across every part of our organisation.

The Process

Working closely with our Manchester-based PR, marketing and brand agency partner Sugar PR, we kicked off with a series of brand and website workshops. These sessions brought together voices from across Care in Mind – from frontline support workers to senior leaders – to make sure the DNA of our organisation was reflected in the final designs.

These workshops weren’t just about design – they were about storytelling. We listened to the language staff use to describe their work, the values that drive them every day, and the way they want Care in Mind to be seen by the outside world. This insight shaped every creative decision, from the curve of the typography to the tone of the website copy.

From there, we explored different logo concepts. The feedback was clear: we needed something modern and approachable, but also professional and trustworthy. The final design features a clean, curved typeface and an abstract “C” icon that symbolises connection, care, and togetherness. The icon also incorporates our values through carefully chosen accent colours.

Our colour palette evolved too. We kept our calming teal green as a primary brand colour, supported by a softer, complimentary range of secondary colours. This palette brings a sense of warmth and approachability to everything we create – from our website to our printed materials.

Brand Guidelines & Staff Rollout

To make sure our new identity is applied consistently, we created a comprehensive set of brand guidelines. These outline everything from logo use and colour codes to typography and tone of voice. The guidelines have been rolled out to all staff, along with templates and examples, so that every document, social post, and presentation reflects the same high-quality, professional standard.

The rollout process included internal briefings, workshops and “brand ambassadors” within different teams to answer questions and help embed the changes in everyday practice. We also created a central resource hub so everyone has quick access to the right logo files, templates, and colour codes whenever they need them.

Staff feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Team members have said the new branding feels “fresh, professional, and truly us” and that having clear guidelines makes their work easier and faster. The rebrand has sparked pride across the organisation, helping staff feel more connected to the Care in Mind mission.

By empowering our team with the tools and knowledge to use the new branding, we’re ensuring that our identity remains strong and consistent – whether it’s on our website, in our homes, or in the wider community.

The new website

Alongside the rebrand, we completely rebuilt the Care in Mind website. The new site is designed with our audiences in mind – whether you’re a young person, a parent or carer, a referrer, or a professional exploring career opportunities.

We’ve made navigation simpler, content clearer, and information easier to find. The site is fully responsive, so it works beautifully on mobile devices, and it’s built to be accessible, ensuring everyone can explore our services with ease.

The new site also supports our recruitment and referral goals. Job vacancies, service details, and referral information are now more prominent and easier to access, ensuring we connect quickly with the people who need us most.

You’ll also see our values reflected visually throughout the site – from the colour choices to the imagery and language.

Looking ahead

The launch of our new brand and website marks the beginning of the next chapter for Care in Mind. Our refreshed identity will appear across all our communications, training materials, events, and in the places where our teams work every day.

This isn’t just a visual change – it’s a platform for growth. By presenting a consistent, confident, and values-led identity, we’re better positioned to build partnerships, attract the right talent, and support even more young people in the years ahead.

Dr Rachel Scullion, Managing Director, Care in Mind, said: “This rebrand is more than a new logo – it’s a reflection of the journey we’ve been on as an organisation. It captures our values, our dedication to trauma-informed care, and the professionalism and compassion of our teams. I’m proud of how we’ve involved staff at every stage and how the result feels true to who we are.”

Amy Rendle, Head of Strategy and Pathways, Care in Mind, added:
“Our new brand and website give us the tools to communicate clearly and confidently with the people who matter most – the young people we support, their families, and the professionals who refer to us. It’s a fresh, consistent identity that will help us grow, recruit talented colleagues, and strengthen our partnerships across the sector.”

We’re really proud of what we’ve achieved together and excited for what’s ahead. Thank you to everyone who contributed ideas, feedback, and support during this process – this is a brand built by all of us.

The post A fresh look for Care in Mind…say hello to our new brand and website. appeared first on Care in Mind.

Ashurst, which is one of our specialist mental health residential services, was visited by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April of this year. Inspectors found that the home had maintained the standards of the last inspection and once again gave it an overall rating of ‘good’. They gave it a ‘good’ rating for all six categories – safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

 Lauren Ugbode, Head of Operations at Care in Mind, said:

“We are incredibly proud of the team at Ashurst for their dedication, professionalism, and heartfelt commitment to the young people in our care. This latest CQC report is a clear reflection of the tireless work our staff do every day to create a safe, therapeutic, and empowering environment for those we support.

Lauren Ugbode, Care in Mind

“At Care in Mind, we understand that many of the young people who come to us have experienced considerable challenges, including multiple hospital admissions or placement breakdowns. That’s why our model is built around consistency, compassion, and evidence-based care. The CQC’s recognition of the team’s skill and commitment reinforces our belief in our approach, and we are incredibly pleased that Ashurst is setting such a high standard.”

“Young people have maximum choice and control of their lives”– CQC Inspection 2025

Inspectors said that there were “robust systems in place” to support safety and manage risk, and that staff support the people in the home “to take part in activities and to pursue their interests”.

They said: “They worked with people to plan for when they experienced periods of distress.” Inspectors said that young people staying at Ashurst are encouraged to have “maximum choice and control of their lives”. They also said that staff supported them “in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests.“

“Impressive transition to placements” – CQC Inspection 2025

The report said: “A relative told us they were impressed by how the transition to the placement was managed, they said, “My relative went and had a day visit and then an overnight visit before moving in.'”

Inspectors spoke with a relative of someone using the service, who called it “really good” and said the transition into was “well managed”. They said: “I only go once a month and it is always nice and clean; they have games in the dining room, it’s all really good.”

Staff also spoke highly of the support that they got from management telling inspectors that “they felt valued and were treated with respect”. They said that the manager “always checks in” with them “regularly” and “welcome” any concerns they raise.

The manager said that they had an “open-door day” every month in which staff and people could speak with them and voice any conce The CQC report cites one staff member as saying: “Leaders are very knowledgeable and approachable and are always visible.”

“Relative really lucky to get a placement like this” – CQC Inspection 2025

A family member of a person placed in the care home said that their relative was “really lucky to get a placement like this”.

Inspectors said that the care come was committed to “ensuring quality assurance” and in place to maintain “high standards of care and ensure the well-being of people”.

You can read this news article in the Bolton News here about the inspection. Thank you to the local media for highlighting our success which we are delighted to share. You can read the full inspection here on the official CQC site.

We will continue working hard to deliver outstanding care, support our staff in their professional development, and ensure our services remain a place of hope and healing for those who need it most.

The post Ashurst receives glowing CQC Inspection appeared first on Care in Mind.

As Dom explains in the article, he spent 18 months living at Willowhurst, Preston, having transferred to us from an inpatient hospital setting. Although he was ready to be discharged from hospital, he still needed support with his mental health in a community setting. Dom says he was drawn to our least restrictive approach at Care in Mind and how he felt our team related to him when he first met them.

Dom talks about how supportive the staff team and MDT at Willowhurst were during his time there and how instrumental he feels they were in his recovery journey. When he first moved out of Willowhurst, Dom had an Independence package from Care in Mind, with tailored support from the MDT that reduced on a graded basis over time as he settled into independent living. He now works with the team as a Young Person’s Champion, sharing his experiences to improve service user involvement and co-production across the service. 

Deputy Residential Service Manager James Lucas also contributes to the article, sharing his experience of working in our specialist residential services, and how he feels Care in Mind value our teams and ensure our core values remain at the heart of we do.

Thank you so much to Dom and James for sharing their experiences; we are so proud of how far Dom has come and of the amazing job our staff team do in supporting our young people on their recovery journeys.If you are interested in making a difference to lives of young people like Dom, you can view our career opportunities on our website Current Vacancies – Care in Mind, or email our recruitment team at jobs@careinmind.com

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According to an article published by the Guardian, eating disorder referrals have seen a stark rise during the pandemic of 2020/21, with lockdown causing eating disorders to thrive and available treatment being significantly impacted by pandemic-related issues. Additionally, the number of routine referrals rose from 915 in April to June 2016 to 1,850 in the first three months of 2020, this number then continued to rise to a record high from July to September, as it went up to 2,001. This data is based on routine referrals starting treatment in the community for children and young people. However, even prior to the pandemic, referrals have been rising, with a NHS Digital press release based on the Health Survey for England finding that 19% over women aged 16 and over screened positive for a possible eating disorder when question on their relationship with food in 2019. The same survey also found that almost one in eight men also screened positive for an eating disorder. This ongoing epidemic is clear when reviewing the eating disorder hospital admission statistics for 2018-19, which not only highlights the growing number of young people diagnosed with eating disorders, but also the amount that fall into the more complex category of ‘Other’, where they don’t fit into the bulimia or anorexia category.

Introducing Edge Brook

At Care in Mind we have spent the last few years working on developing a specialist service for young people with complex eating disorders. Over the years, we have seen ourselves the truth behind the headlines and statistics, and witnessed the increase in demand across eating disorder services and stretched capacity nationwide for Specialist Eating Disorder Unit (SEDU) inpatient beds. During this time period our own data also shows an increase in referrals for our core services for young people with a primary diagnosis of an eating disorder, or comorbidity with complex mental health needs. We are therefore delighted to be opening Edge Brook, our first specialist residential service for young people with complex eating disorders, later this year. The service will build on our core model of care, with additional specialised support for eating disorders. During the development process, our Clinical, Residential and Executive Management teams have worked hard to ensure that Edge Brook will provide a safe, helpful space for young people to recover and successfully integrate back into the community.

Our commitment to least restrictive practice and the way in which we care for young people will reflect our core service offer. Therefore, there will be an expectation that young people are of stable physical health and have managed at least 6 weeks without tube feeding by admission. Not only is this to ensure we can care for residents in the most therapeutic, least restrictive environment, but also to provide the best chance for a successful journey through our pathway to independence at a time when the young person is ready.

Developing Edge Brook has been a lengthy process, and one that has been taken very seriously by those involved. We have engaged in research in many forms, and held consultation sessions to gain insight from individuals, and their parents/carers, who have been treated by community and inpatient eating disorder services. These sessions were run by our Service User Coordinator who is also an expert by experience, and our Clinical Director. Individuals were given a chance to openly discuss their thoughts and feelings about the service following a brief explanation of our model of care for the service. Additionally, we have worked closely with a dietician on a consultancy basis to gain valuable and specialist advice towards helping us to develop protocols.

Consultation Event Feedback

The research gathered during the consultation event was invaluable and gave us an important insight into what is truly required from an effective eating disorder service. Several key themes emerged from the feedback:

Hope: One of the strongest themes identified was the importance of hope, particularly when in inpatient settings where young people may feel stuck, and it can be difficult to be hopeful for the future and a life outside of hospital. Often young people in hospital with eating disorders can be subject to lengthy inpatient stays, or become ‘revolving door’ patients which may be down to a lack of appropriate pathways out of hospital. Giving young people the hope of a community-based residential treatment option could positively impact their motivation to move on from hospital.

Recovery: Another key theme was the importance of recovery from a ‘whole-person’ perspective. Participants felt that often there is an understandable focus on stabilisation of physical health but they felt it was important for services to consider what recovery means for each individual, and thinking about developing a sense of agency and achievement outside of their Eating Disorder identity. Ways we may do this include giving them more control over their lives, something we already do in our core residential homes, so that they are able to make decisions such as when they want to see their friends or what education they want to access. It’s important that young people are given this space for independence so that they can re-learn and build up their confidence in how to do everyday tasks that may have been done for them whilst in hospital.

Independence: Ensuring the building of independence skills will be a core focus, and it is important this is done in a way that meets people at their current level. Many of the young people we work with may feel de-skilled in many areas following lengthy inpatient stays and it is important that independence goals are developed around their needs and priorities. As with all elements of our service planning, the person-centred nature of this will be key.

Individualised Care Planning: Individualised care planning will be incredibly important to the way in which we work at Edge Brook. We believe eating disorders cannot be treated with one single approach, particularly when working with individuals with different diagnoses. Recovery goals for each individual will be tailored, based on maintaining and developing their own physical health and independence-related goals. Goals will be developed in collaboration with young people to support their understanding of exactly why we do what we do, and why this will benefit their journey to recovery. Additionally, we will take the time to explain to young people why it is that everyone in the home has differing goals and care plans, but that everyone will receive the same high level of input and support.

Systemic Approach: Our participants highlight the importance of joined up and consistent care, both within and across systems. At Edge Brook, building relationships and collaboration with local stakeholders will be essential; particularly where a young person may require a short term re-admission to hospital to support stabilising their physical health. With collaboration, effective communication and clear joint working protocols, our hope would be that admissions can be short with a joined-up approach, supporting the young person to return to Edge Brook in a safe, structured and planned way.

This systemic thinking also relates to how families and carers are able to be involved, which was important to our participants. Edge Brook will offer Family Therapy and interventions but it will also consider other ways they can be supported to engage with the service, in a way that is helpful and appropriate for the young person. Gaining the understanding and appropriate input from parents and carers will help to provide a level of consistency when visiting home, but also if the young person is to return home when transitioning out of care back into the community.

 Identity: The final key theme that emerged from the consultation event was Identity and in particular, who the young person is regardless of their eating disorder. Often young people who have had extensive inpatient admissions can feel robbed of key developmental stages in their adolescence which can lead to struggling with their identity outside of being a patient. One of the suggestions for supporting this was a peer support group, led by individuals who are in recovery, with the aim of providing hope for a future outside of services, but also sharing practical suggestions that have worked for others. This is something we hope to be able to provide as the new service opens, and we will be liaising with experts by experience to support the facilitation of this.

The Home & Staffing Model

In many ways, our staffing model for Edge Brook reflects that of our core homes, however, as this is a specialist eating disorder home, we will have additional specialist staff to support the complex and differing needs of the young people. We will provide dietetic input through a specialised dietitian as well as in-house chefs to help young people create healthy, balanced meals (where appropriate). The home will also have increased physical health monitoring in comparison to our core service. This will be to ensure we are maintaining the physical aspect of the young people’s health as well as the psychological side of their recovery. Staff who work within the home have been carefully selected, with input from our Managing Director, Sharron Amri, to ensure that the right people are chosen for what will be a challenging job. There will also be an enhanced training programme to prepare those working in the homes. Additionally, like with our core service, staff will be well supported through regular staff support sessions and reflective practice in addition to standard supervision, as we know that supported, happy staff are more effective in supporting the young people.

As already mentioned, the home will have enhanced physical monitoring, and to allow for this, we will have a clinic within the home. However, a lot of thought and consideration has been put into ensuring that this clinical aspect does not make the home feel like a hospital. As with all of our homes, Edge Brook will have a homely, caring feel with young people given a say in how to decorate both common areas and their own rooms. Furthermore, outside the home, there is a wealth of green space, including a duck pond and allotment. This will provide a mindful space for young people, but also the ability to grow their own food, helping them in approaching and considering food in a more healthy and holistic way.

We will be sharing more detail about our progress towards opening this exciting new service in the coming months. If you would like to speak to someone for more information please contact 0161 638 3285

The post Developing Edge Brook appeared first on Care in Mind.

Therefore, when faced with the opportunity to step up our Investors in People (IIP) accreditation from the Standard First Time assessment to Silver or Gold, our People Services team decided that they wanted to quite literally, ‘go for gold’. Over many months, the team worked alongside IIP, with employees also getting involved through answering questionnaires and having interviews with an IIP representative.

The People Services team were keen to achieve Gold as a way of recognising and showing to others that we are truly committed and invested in our staff. Subsequently, on 19^th November 2020, we received the news that we had been awarded the Gold level accreditation.

The CEO of IIP, Paul Devoy said of our achievement: “Gold accreditation on We invest in people is a fantastic effort for any organisation, and places Care in Mind in fine company with a host of organisations that understand the value of people.”

We could not agree more with his words, and with just 17% of accredited organisations managing to achieve the Gold level, we really believe this quite the accomplishment.

Here is what Sharron Amri, our Managing Director, had to say of our triumph: “Being awarded the Gold level accreditation by Investors in People is a huge achievement, and it could not have been done without our fantastic People Services team, as well as each and every Care in Mind employee who took part in making our dream becoming a reality.”

Additionally, Julie Burton, People Director, said: “This is an amazing achievement for Care in Mind. To achieve Gold in only our second assessment makes us extremely proud. Over the past 3 years we have worked hard to aim for the Gold standard. There has been tremendous teamwork to ensure we have the right support in place for our staff and our management and leadership team have strived to embed our new core values. The healthcare sector has faced an extremely challenging time in 2020 and this award is a testament to of all of the excellent work our teams have done to ensure a safe environment for our young people. 2021 marks Care in Minds 10^th Anniversary and achieving this recognition is the icing on the cake to what will be a very special year.“

So, why did IIP award us with Gold level accreditation?

• We are effective communicators, which allows for better decision-making.
• Our values are truly embedded in everything we do, with almost 100% of those surveyed agreeing that we have clear values.
• Staff understand how to improve with the help of appropriate, in-depth auditing.
• We are dedicated to recognising and rewarding our people, with 85.3% of those surveyed expressing that they contribution to the organisation is valued.
• Staff are well-supported through regular supervisions, staff support groups and reflective practice sessions.
• We are dedicated to collaboration across all teams.

What else did our people have to say?

• About management: “They are open and really motivating. They want everyone to work to the best of their ability and they push to be best that you can be. They are challenging in a really positive way.”
• About our values: “It’s a positive culture. The thing that appeals to me about the organisation is that values are at the centre of what we do. It feels like an organisation that puts the young people we work with at the centre and at the heart of what we want to achieve. You see and feel it everywhere.”
• About our culture: “It’s very warm and caring. I’ve worked for a number of companies and never found any as caring as here – there’s no blame culture, we thrive on lessons learned and genuinely listen to our young people.”
• About being empowered: “We are empowered. Everyone is so open to suggestions and people have boundaries and frameworks and support to make decisions.”

• About rewarding our staff: “We reward massively to be honest. Every month every house has an employee of the month and a budget for gifts and treats to use how we want. We get certificates for over 95% audit. We get thanks on the HR system. There’s loads.”
• About progressing within the company: “We encourage people to progress and achieve – we recruit people with little or no experience and then progress them with NVQs. People are empowered by the fact that they can grow and progress and there is a process for that.”
• About training opportunities: “I do feel very invested in personally. I’ve been doing training and was offered a lot of support with that, such as time off work to study. Training is really good here and the best I’ve had.”
• About our auditing processes: “Any findings from audits are sent to the internal teams, then they are reported into monthly operations meeting, then they go into clinical audit committee. Escalations are fed into appropriate groups, any lessons learned recorded onto a log and actions plans compiled form audits and each action reviewed monthly. ”
• About diversity and inclusion: “We are working on a big project in terms of inclusion and diversity. We are looking at diversity and how representative we are and looking at how this impacts on how we recruit and manage people.”

We are thrilled with our new Gold accreditation from Investors in People, and are looking forward to continuing to invest and empower our people going forward.

The post Our Commitment To People appeared first on Care in Mind.

The dilemma of risking or restricting risk comes down weighing up long-term benefits with present day risks. So, why do we believe in long-term benefits and managing risk therapeutically and with the least restraint?

When a young person spends lots of time in a hospital, it can lead to a heavy reliance on others to protect them. Additionally, it can be easy for them to unlearn, or become fearful of, various normal areas of life, such as making a cup of tea or using metal cutlery. Essentially, it can significantly hinder their ability to learn the value in responsibility and independence. This is especially true of young people who may have been in and out of hospital during their early teenage years.

As well as a loss of independence and reliance on others, heavy restrictions can cause young people to feel out of control. Losing this control may lead them to take increased risks as time goes on, thus they find themselves in a dangerous cycle of risky behaviour.

Of course, it is understandable that restrictive care has become the norm, as what is a natural reaction to someone hurting themselves? It is to take away that risk and stop them. However, at Care in Mind, we have intensive training in place for our residential staff so that this reaction can be challenged. Instead of restrictive care, we focus on assertive care and train our staff to support young people in keeping themselves safe. Our least restrictive model is very much based on the principles of Therapeutic Risk Management.

The Principles Of Therapeutic Risk Management

There are five principles of Therapeutic Risk Management and they each underlie our Therapeutic Risk model, which is paramount to successful risk management in a least restrictive manner.

The first principle is focused on collaboration, therapeutic rcaelationships and informed decision making on the young person’s part. Care in Mind young people are put at the forefront of their own care and work alongside our comprehensive MDT to ensure they receive care that is most helpful for them. Much of those relies on an open and honest relationship between staff and young people, which gives them the confidence to trust those who care for them.

The second principle is about creating a strength based, person-centred approach to recovery. This is done utilising the “Managing Mental Health Ladder” and the “Mental Health Recovery Star” (Recovery Star (4th Edition) – Triangle (outcomesstar.org.uk). The ladder is all about progressing how you manage your mental health issues. To assess how young people progress and to ensure we focus on the necessary areas of recovery, we utilise the “Mental Health Recovery Star”. These will be filled out on a regular basis throughout the young person’s time within the homes to document how they are doing.

The third principle is about effective team-working and building risk-sharing partnerships. This is about the way we always care for young people being understood and consistent, including when liaising with Emergency Services, Social Care and Safeguarding teams. Maintaining a stable level of least restrictive care is vital in minimising the risk of further setbacks into a risky cycle of behaviour.

The fourth principle is providing a safe culture for both residential staff and the young people. A significant part of this is through reflective practice and a no blame culture. We try to take every opportunity to learn from where we may have gone wrong and improve upon our practice, both individually and as an organisation. Rather than having one way of doing things and strictly enforcing that, we encourage staff to bring forward any innovative ideas they may have.

The fifth and final principle is about providing least restrictive interventions. Rather than removing risks, using physical restraint, or conducting observations on people, we utilise less invasive ways to care for our young people.

Naturally, a least restrictive environment is not suited to every individual and their mental health journey. In cases where young people are actively suicidal, have a means to end their own life or lack capacity, we may not necessarily recommend a least restrictive model of care. It all comes down to assessing potential risks and weighing up the potential benefits for each unique individual.

For some young people, a least restrictive environment and therapeutically managed risks can allow them to gain the necessary independence to thrive once they leave residential care. It can help break the cycle of readmission and give them the self-belief that they can take responsibility for their own safety.

Therefore, we choose to risk (where appropriate), because it can help the young person learn to live their most safe, satisfying, and meaningful life.

The post To Risk Or Not To Risk? appeared first on Care in Mind.

Below, he shares how teamwork and kindness brought his idea into fruition, as well as details of the day itself:

Care in Mind consistently practice with inclusivity, which I feel particularly aware of as a transgender man. Therefore, when it came to planning Care in Mind Pride 2020, I was not surprised by the enthusiasm my colleagues and Residential Manager, Dominic, encountered my idea with. Every step of the way, Dominic has been incredibly supportive in bringing the idea to reality, ensuring we had enough budget for decorations and rainbow party food!

Additionally, we were met by extreme kindness from local businesses and charities who donated prizes and runway clothing for the day. Refuse To Conform clothing donated some prizes and gifts for the young people to thank them for their hard work towards making the day such a success. And, it was a local charity shop, West Kirby Cats Protection, that helped us pick out some amazingly fabulous runway outfits.

The big day itself was a complete success; from the planning to the main event, and finale, of the Runway Extravaganza, both staff and residents were completely enthralled. Fun and games were enjoyed throughout the day, even during a game of ‘throw wet sponges at management’! We also enjoyed a blindfolded mocktail game, which brought out everyone’s competitive side.

When it came to the finale, our Ru Paul Runway Extravaganza, everyone was utterly amazing and completely exceeded expectations. Residents strutted the runway, blossoming with confidence, and got completely into the spirit of the event.

Reflecting on the day, young people commented: “It was a great day”, and “let’s do it again next year!”

The event perfectly celebrated the diversity we have within the service, both amongst staff and young people. It was a lovely way to recognise how diversity promotes success and why we should all feel proud to embrace who we are. Everyone involved in the day seemed to take a lot from it and left with a smile, and many of those involved in the runway event even discovered a new hobby – dressing up in drag!

The post Cherryhurst Pride Celebration appeared first on Care in Mind.

When someone dissociates, their thoughts, feelings, behaviours, how they see their environment, memory, how present they are, and how they view the world disconnects. Their mind no longer works in harmony, and instead becomes separated. There are many theories of dissociation, but one is the idea that dissociation is a continuum, and that symptoms can range from mild to severe. In fact, for many of us, it may be a surprise to realise that we often mildly dissociate in our day-to-day life.

Dissociation for some may mean ‘zoning out’ or ‘daydreaming’ – it may present itself as missing your exit on the motorway or losing track of time during in a dull meeting. However, for someone who has experienced trauma, dissociation can show itself in a more pronounced way. It may impact their memory, sense of who they are, and how they perceive the world.

Severe dissociation may occur in many ways, such as forgetting past experiences, depersonalisation (feeling detached from yourself), or unusual experiences such as seeing/hearing things other people cannot. It may also cause vivid and realistic flashbacks to past trauma, whereby you feel like you’re ‘reliving’ a past experience. This can be a very frightening experience for the individual.

Dissociation is not a necessarily a bad thing though; it actually provides the individual with a psychological escape. It allows those who have experienced trauma to go about their normal daily living whilst coping with emotional distress. For some, many aspects of dissociating is a comforting, positive experience but it can also be a frightening reminder of upsetting experiences, causing your brain to jump into ‘panic mode’.

Caring for someone with dissociation, whether in a personal or professional capacity, may feel daunting. However, with understanding, you learn that they have simply found their own way to survive. Sometimes individuals get stuck an unhealthy habit to survive, which challenges their ability to recover from whatever they were trying to survive in the first place. Therefore, paying attention to dissociation is an important part of recovery.

At Care in Mind, we use evidence-based methods for helping our young people in the most effective way. One of these methods is a three-step technique, based on regulating, relating, and reasoning. This can especially help during a flashback.

For regulation, the purpose is to help the individual to manage their response to the flashback. This may be done through encouraging grounding techniques. A comforting smell, relaxing song or hot drink may help assist someone in their grounding. It is also helpful to remind the individual that they are safe, and that the flashback will pass. Additionally, it is also important to promote self-care and soothing methods at this stage.

The second step, relating, is about connecting to the individual by being sensitive to their needs. We do this primarily through validation, which is a key element of our model of care. Validation is all about recognising someone’s feelings and allowing them to feel heard. However, it goes beyond words – it’s also about seeing and hearing the young person and connecting with them and their distress.

Finally, it is important to help the individual reflect on what just happened. It is at this point that, together, you can both reflect on what happened and what may help going forward. It can be useful to make a note of triggers and consider why your brain had the response that it did. At Care in Mind, it would be the young person’s assigned therapy session where they may do further reflecting on the incident, and thus find methods to avoid future episodes.

Dissociation is a normal and understandable coping response but if you find that it is causing you distress, please seek support. There are also ways in which you can care yourself. The mental health charity, Mind, has several helpful suggestions and information about coping with dissociation.

The content of this blog post is a summary of a recent webinar facilitated by Dr Lena Marden and Dr Christy Laganis, Clinical Psychologists at Care in Mind.

The post What is Dissociation? appeared first on Care in Mind.

Our team worked alongside Professor Len Bowers of Safewards to adapt the ward-based model for our community setting. Working closely with Professor Bowers, we have been able to stay true to the original Safewards model. To our knowledge, we remain one of the only residential providers implementing the model within a community setting.

Safewards is an evidence-based model that is designed to reduce conflict and containment, traditionally on ward environments. This is achieved through ten key interventions that serve to improve the relationship between staff and young people thereby reducing conflict and containment. You can find out more about the model and interventions on the Safewards website.

We have found that the implementation of Safewards for Safehomes within our residential services has had an overwhelmingly positive impact. The model allows for a more therapeutic relationship between staff and young people. In fact, in many ways, it allows the young people in our care to see the staff as more human. It also complements other elements of our model of care, including the Boundary Seesaw model (Hamilton 2010). Staff and young people can enjoy a healthy, supportive relationship with clear boundaries in place to promote a safe, consistent environment.

Analysis of incident data shows us that the implementation of Safewards has had a significant impact on conflict reduction in homes. The clear structure of the model and the range of interventions provide a positive framework for our staff, which guides them through managing conflict. This allows them to react in the most helpful way, creating a more supportive environment. Young people are also encouraged through the model to develop responsibility for their actions and conduct.

The use of language has been key for us in applying the model to a community setting. For example, words like ‘ward’ or ‘patient’ don’t translate to our residential environment. Each of our homes is 4 or 5-bedded, so there are fewer discharges than a busy ward environment, which means fewer “Discharge Messages”. Therefore, we use “Positive Messages” instead. These might include song lyrics or quotes chosen by young people, as well as messages left by individuals who have left the service.

Each of our homes puts their own creative stamp on the interventions:

Some of the challenges we’ve encountered include consistency and ensuring the model is thoroughly understood. This is targeted through a strong focus on training, and the identification of Safewards Champions in each service and department. We also now implement Safewards for Safehomes workshops for our young people. Our Best Practice Facilitator, Dominique Hooper, has corporate responsibility for embedding Safewards. She supports our teams to think creatively about how the interventions can be applied in challenging situations.

Our ideas for further building on the ten key interventions include:

• Music and mood: thinking about the effects of music on mood and how we can use music to self-soothe or lower arousal and agitation
• Physical activity: considering the impact of being more physically active on our well-being

Overall, the process of embedding Safewards into our model of care at Care in Mind has been phenomenally positive. Implementation has been no mean feat, and the continuous development and improvement of the project is ever evolving. We have seen the benefits to the wellbeing of our staff and young people, as well as the dynamics between them. We find that it promotes kindness, respect, empathy and validation, all of which are core principles within our organisation.

For more information on Safewards, the ten key interventions and lots of other ideas you can visit the Safewards website or join the international Safewards community on Facebook.

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Unfortunately, it can be difficult to know exactly how to support friends who are struggling. Here, we have rounded up six simple tips to help you support your friend.

Firstly, try to encourage communication and create a safe space for them to discuss how they feel. People who are dealing with a mental illness may not always be forthcoming in talking about their emotions. Therefore, be prepared to start the conversation rather than waiting for them to come to you. You can create a communication safe space by ensuring it is somewhere they are comfortable, and with few distractions around.

When you are talking with your friend about their mental health, try not to make assumptions or diagnose them. Their diagnosis and subsequent solutions are areas best left to their healthcare professionals.

When communicating with a friend about their mental health, listen to what they are saying and validate their feelings. We recently did a blog post about the importance on empathy, which may help you understand how to be validating in what you say.

If your friend is not already seeking professional help, you may want to encourage them to visit their GP. Try to remain supportive of their choices, whether they decide to engage in counselling or wish to try medication alongside therapy sessions. Different approaches work for different people, and what worked for your brother’s girlfriend’s cousin, may not work for your friend.

Above all these tips, one small, but infinitely supportive, act you can do is check-in with your friend on a regular, unprompted basis. Some people who are currently struggling with their mental health may not feel able to reach out to people. However, a simple text (‘Hi, how are you? x’) may help them from becoming isolated or lonely. It will also remind them that people care for their wellbeing.

Finally, you must remember to know your own boundaries and take care of your own wellbeing. Sometimes it’s not in our power or best interests to help someone. In cases like this, you must be mindful of maintaining your own mental health first and foremost. 

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