A donation of just £200 to our charity can help make a real difference to children and young people from our neurodiverse and intellectual disability communities.
Our children and young people’s mental health services (CAMHS) in North Lincolnshire, Rotherham and Doncaster have used Your Hearts and Minds charitable funds to create sensory boxes which are accessible to children and young people aged five and over who are accessing a CAMHS appointment at Kimberworth Place in Rotherham, the Crystal Building in Doncaster and St Nicholas House in Scunthorpe.
They aim to support any child or young person who may require sensory based items, or equipment to help them in reducing anxiety, sensory, emotional distress, focus or distraction whilst they wait for their appointment.
RDaSH Pathway Lead Tom Redding said: “The sensory boxes have been huge success, and we are already receiving excellent feedback from young people and their families.
“Visiting our services and waiting in our reception areas can be overwhelming for some young people, so the boxes provide a distraction and way of passing time while they are waiting for their appointment.
“Sensory toys and equipment support are designed to stimulate one of more of the senses and they are particularly appealing to those from the neuro diverse, or intellectually disabled community because they help them to remain calm and provide the sensory experience they need at the moment.”
All equipment in the boxes can be easily cleaned between use, and they are checked and replaced when they become worn or removed. Ear defenders are also available for young people who are particularly distressed, and as these are single-use, the young person is able to keep these to take home with them.
Tom added: “It’s extremely important for us to ensure our clinical settings are person-centred and we make all of the reasonable adjustments to make them suitable for people from the neuro diverse and intellectually disabled community.
“For a relatively small sum of money, the sensory boxes are making a real difference in supporting the children and young people in our care.”
Published: December 24, 2024