Family Ambassadors - many of whom have lived experience as a parent or carer - support families to navigate and understand the complex tier 4 inpatient system and help drive ongoing quality improvements, ensuring the needs and views of families are heard and acted upon.
The pilot is part of a national scheme which is being rolled out across the NHS following a series of reports highlighting recommendations to improve the quality of care that children and young people receive within mental health inpatient services
The Family Ambassador role aims to ensure that the voice of parents and carers in their young person's pathway is heard and not excluded from essential decisions, and that families feel empowered to become an equal partner in their child's care.
The 12-month pilot includes funding for 6 Family Ambassadors and a Regional Family Ambassador to be recruited across the region. They will be based in inpatient units across Hampshire, Dorset, Sussex and Kent.
Lucy Morley, Regional Family Ambassador for the South East Region said: As a team, we believe that all families should feel respected, included and empowered. Parents and carers have a unique perspective about the care needs of their child and we hope that the new Family Ambassador role will allow them to feel part of care decisions and better able to advocate for their family members, and support them to have their voices heard and rights upheld.
Read more about the Family Ambassador scheme. If you have any questions or feedback on the Family Ambassador role, please contact lucy.