All sites, as part of their Local Transformation Plans (LTPs), will have a multi-agency steering group that oversees its planning and implementation. We encourage sites implementing the THRIVE Framework for system change (Wolpert et al., 2019) to have key people from across the system of services that support children and young people’s mental health at the macro, meso and micro levels of the system involved in planning and implementation. It will be this group’s responsibility to make decisions and guide implementation of the THRIVE Framework.
Making changes towards a more THRIVE-like system for children and young people’s mental health will depend on being able to engage those who are currently responsible for both commissioning and providing local mental health services. The importance of community providers across the local area can not be underestimated and those with knowledge and influence within this provider group will also need to be involved. This will facilitate the development of joint pathways, referral systems, signposting, approaches to risk management and will help to grow services focusing on wellbeing promotion and preventative approaches that build resilience.
Recommended membership of a local i-THRIVE transformation team:
It is recommended that the i-THRIVE transformation group is chaired by a senior leader and has membership from the following agencies:
Clinical Commissioning Group: Children’s Commissioning Lead, CAMHS Transformation Lead, Ideally the GP commissioner/a representative from primary care
CAMHS providers: Key executive leads for CAMHS (including Service Mangers, Service Transformation leads and other operations leads)
Local Authority: Commissioning Lead and/or Head of Services, Local Authority providers, Children’s services, Public Health
Local voluntary sector: Organisations that are viewed as key to successful transformation, youth advice and counselling services, key providers
Education: Leadership from local schools
Clinicians: It is important to consider the clinicians who have leadership roles within services that are likely to be most affected by, or critical to change. Consider the CAMHS Director, local influential clinical leaders and academics, the local CYP IAPT Lead, Psychological Health Lead and Nurse Director as a start.