Children’s Mental Health Week: Meet Jenny from Branch
This Children’s Mental Health Week, we’re celebrating the support available to children, young people and families across Wirral. We’re shining a light on Branch, Wirral’s online mental wellbeing hub, and introducing the people behind the service who help young people feel supported and listened to.
Branch brings together information, advice and links to local mental health and wellbeing services all in one place. It is designed to make finding help simpler, whether worries feel big or small. Branch supports children and young people up to the age of 18, and up to 25 for those with special educational needs or disabilities. Parents, carers and professionals can also find support and guidance through the hub.
Branch is made up of an alliance of local, regional, and national organisations including Open Door Charity, Action for Children, Kooth, Koala NW, hatch Merseyside and Wirral MyMind who work in partnership to deliver Branch and make mental wellbeing support easier to access for children and young people.
The service is run by a small, dedicated team who work closely with children, young people, families and partner services. One of those people is Jenny, a Wellbeing Coordinator at Branch. She works alongside Marika, another Wellbeing Coordinator, and Philippa, the Access and Operations Manager.
There is a team of three people in Branch. Between us we make up the matching team that support children, young people, and their families to get to the right support when they need it.
Jenny’s passion for mental health support began before she joined Branch. Before this role, she volunteered with The Hive and Shout, experiences that helped shape her desire to support people when they need it most.
I really enjoyed it and felt like I was making a difference in supporting people. The role at Branch seemed to combine the two volunteering roles and provide the opportunity to support children and young people in a meaningful way, which I am passionate about.
No two days at Branch are the same, because every child, young person and family who reaches out has different needs.
The main thing about Branch is that every day is different depending on the children, young people and families that come through for support.
Behind the scenes, Jenny reviews referrals, considers safety and wellbeing, and helps match young people to the services that are right for them. She also speaks with families, young people and professionals to make sure support is well coordinated. Working closely with partner services is a key part of this.
Another important part of the day is the panel meetings with key partners including MyMind, where we discuss some referrals and cases in more depth, again to ensure they are getting the best possible support offer.
What Jenny finds most rewarding is knowing that her work can make a real difference.
There’s a sense of fulfilment in knowing I have supported people, especially when young people, their families or professionals get back in touch to give feedback.
One moment that stayed with her was when a young person she had supported reached out again, just to share how they were doing.
A young person I had supported last year reached out to Branch out of the blue to let us know how much better they are doing now, which makes it feel worthwhile and that Branch is getting it right!
For Jenny, it is often the human connection that matters most.
It is the meaningful conversations and building a genuine connection with the family or the young person that stand out. People do open up and share a lot about their lives with us, which we don’t take for granted and understand how difficult that can be.
This year’s Children’s Mental Health Week theme is ‘This is My Place’, focusing on helping children and young people feel that they belong. Jenny believes feeling listened to and supported is a big part of good mental health. Her message to children and young people who may be struggling is simple.
Ask for help and get the support you deserve. Reaching out can feel scary, but Branch is here to help and to listen to you.
She also has a reassuring message for parents and carers who may feel unsure about asking for support.
Branch has a wide‑ranging support offer and if you do need to speak to someone then the team is made up of people who genuinely want to listen and help. We are aware that people may have had bad experiences in accessing support, but Branch is here to make that access simpler and easier.
Find support with Branch
Branch is Wirral’s online mental wellbeing hub for children and young people. Whether worries feel big or small, Branch can help you find the right support, without having to repeat your story.
Visit branch-wirral.co.uk to explore available support.
