Llanelli charity to launch £1 million project

CYCA has announced the official launch of the latest project in its ongoing mission to improve young lives in Llanelli and beyond.

The objective of the new Big Lottery funded Securing Futures scheme is to provide early intervention for families where parents have low or moderate mental health or learning disabilities.

The charity is looking to address the issue in response to growing awareness that poor mental health and learning disabilities can affect people’s capacity to provide adequate care for their children.

CYCA manager Tracy Pike said: “The service is vital because if we can help families and offer support at an early stage, hopefully it can help stop families from breaking down and children from being taken into care.”

Supporters of the project include Carmarthenshire Council social services, Hywel Dda Health Board, CBSA and Coleg Sir Gar.

The charity’s support addresses emotional health, cognitive and social skills, and learning support needs.

These are addressed through a holistic range of interventions including mentoring, play therapy and family therapy.

A further feature of the project is facilitating access to primary mental health initiatives which help families.

Mums and dads may neglect their own or their children’s physical and emotional needs, and youngsters may be insecurely attached because parents can be angry and critical of them.

Learning disability can impact on a parents’ capacity to learn and retain the new skills they need, while negative childhood experiences may leave parents with low self-esteem and a poor sense of self-worth.

By intervening early and helping families access support and services, the charity hopes it can reduce the likelihood of children being at risk of harm in the short term and prevent future difficulties with mental health and parenting in the long term.

It also hopes it will enable the parent to feel better understood and acknowledge the mental health and wellbeing needs of the children.

Mrs Pike added: “It is a credit to the efforts of the staff who wrote the bid that we were awarded £1 million for the project. It is unique as it is bespoke and we can change the type of service according to what people need.”

Securing Futures will be launched at Llanelli’s Diplomat Hotel on June 4 at 2.30pm. The project is based at the town’s Dewi Sant Play Centre.

For more information contact the Securing Futures team on 01554 757 599 or email [email protected]