Guiding your child towards adulthood is difficult enough at the best of times. When a child is especially vulnerable due to mental health problems, the parents' job is even more challenging.
The pressures on young people in Ireland have never been greater, yet the level of services available to those in trouble range from woefully inadequate to totally non-existent. The Republic's high suicide rate attests to the fact that too many of our young people fall victim of a drugs and drink culture, to psychosis and mental illness.
The absence of practical help will be addressed at a one-day conference "Stepping into Adulthood: a creative process through partnership", on Thursday, at University College Cork.
"There is an urgent need to provide pathways to adulthood. Exploring the creative process can provide dynamic change. Encouragement to creativity can assist young adults aged from 16 to 25 who experience mental illness. The conference will examine strategies that work and produce an educational resource pack," says coordinator Trish Edelstein of You. C.A.N. (Youth Culture Arts Network).
The conference is intended to aid the setting up of partnership groups between local authorities, health boards, arts organisations, community groups and mental health professionals to tackle the complex issues surrounding young people who are at risk.
Dr Anthony Bates, senior clinical psychologist at St James's Hospital, Dublin and TCD, will be in the chair, and speakers include Dr Dirk Bryssinck, Psychiatric Centre, Sleidinge, Belgium; Dr Carmel McAuliffe of the Suicide Research Project; Professor Seppor Leisti of Finland; Paddy McGowan, founder of the Irish Advocacy Network; Dr Helen Keely, Southern Health Board, and Dr Janek Dubowski, arts therapist at Hertforshire College of Art and Design.
Arts organisations, mental health organisations, community groups, governmental and non-governmental organisations from all over the State will attend. The conference is funded by Combat Poverty, Area Development Management Ltd, European Union Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, Youth For Europe and Acorn.
Venue: Aula Maxima, UCC
Time: 8.45 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Date: Thursday, September 13th.
Further information: Trish Edelstein (021) 4316826/087/2830526.
