Mr. Conor Boksberger:

I want to mention the more systemic piece around that with families. For example, if I am talking to a parent on the phone, often they might say that they do not think the child will come in because that 12-year-old or 13-year-old is not ready. Having the range of resources, as we have with Jigsaw online, is helpful there. If, for example, the mum has described the problem to me, I can say that we have a really good article on Jigsaw online around that, and can suggest that she has a read of it and then perhaps a conversation, when out for a walk with the child, about what she has read. It is about putting it back towards parents. Rather than us getting absorbed into the panic that can be there if they feel that there is a problem and they do not know what they can do, we can be solution-focused and recognise, and have the parents recognise, that they can do an awful lot and they are already doing an awful lot.

Usually, the very simple things are the most effective. There are things that can bolster that and help guide the parent in terms of that, and there are steps before they have to necessarily sit in front of a professional. With complete openness, that professional should be there for them, but that is not to say that this is a panacea and that if it is not a mental health professional, it is of no use. It is about recognising that parents, other trusted adults in the community, the communities themselves, clubs, societies, all of these things that exist will be what young people need in terms of their mental health resources. We are trying to bolster that as well as provide direct support.