20 June 2019

Fresh CAMHS Forest School

FRESH CAMHS in partnership with Lancashire Wildlife Trust has been offering a pilot project of Forest School in Sandfield Park attached to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

Fresh CAMHS Mental health practitioners, Carl Dutton and Louise Hickey, explain:

We use the bases of Forest School in supporting and developing young people’s emotional, physical, and social health and well being which include the following areas-

  • Forest School is a long-term process of frequent and regular sessions in a woodland or natural environment, rather than a one-off visit
  • Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural wooded environment to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.
  • Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all those involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners
  • Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
  • Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for development and learning

We are measuring what we do as well as asking the young people what they think of the program.

Our plan is to review it at the end of July with a view to developing it across the CAMHS Partnership.

For more information, contact email Carl Dutton Mental Health Practitioners FRESH CAMHS.