The National Tackling Stigma Project

The National Tackling Stigma Project has been funded by the National CAMHS Support Service (NCSS) and is one of a number of national projects that they have led. The Tackling Stigma Framework and the national project was developed by Dr Fiona Warner-Gale, the NCSS national lead for tackling stigma supported by Kate Harker, project manager.

The project is based on the Tackling Stigma Framework. It incorporates the principle of whole system improvement and organisational change, so has benefits for the further development of comprehensive services for children and young people’s mental health. It also focuses on involving all age groups and is aimed across all children’s services. Find out more about the framework.

Beginning in 2009, the project comprises one early implementer site (Plymouth) and five pilot sites (Northumberland, Durham, Darlington and Tees, Liverpool, Walsall and Northamptonshire). The pilot sites were chosen through a tendering process. The invitation to take part went out across England. Plymouth was chosen as an early implementer site as it had already been implementing the Tackling Stigma Framework as part of its children and young people’s plan.

The pilots have been fully engaged in implementing the domains of the Tackling Stigma Framework in their areas through partnerships that put children and young people at the centre of the pilot and that include a range of organisations that work with children. They have developed some creative ways of involving children and young people in tackling stigma.

This toolkit has been developed as part of the National Tackling Stigma Project. It showcases some examples of innovative ways of tackling stigma, undertaken by the pilot sites.

The project and the implementation of the Tackling Stigma Framework have been evaluated by ECOTEC. The project has been overseen by the National Tackling Stigma Project steering group.