#Chances4Children: Charity launches 24-hour mental health support for care leavers
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, June 3, 2021
A national charity has launched a new service offering care leavers 24-hour emotional support and counselling.
The Rees Foundation has launched Ask Jan, a scheme which gives care leavers access to services, including same-day support from qualified counsellors via a telephone counselling service and the opportunity to use a network of UK-wide counsellors for face-to-face counselling within five days of requesting an appointment.
Ask Jan, named after the charity’s founder Jan Rees, also includes access to online cognitive behavioural therapy, specialist helplines including housing, debt management, legal and citizens advice, a wellbeing app, personal finance advice and discounted prices for days out and activities.
The Rees Foundation is asking local authorities to commission the service on behalf of their care leavers.
The scheme has been launched after research by Barnardo’s found that one in four care leavers had experienced a mental health crisis since leaving care.
“We are acutely aware of the lasting effects of childhood trauma on care-experienced people and wanted to do something tangible to help them access professional help quickly without the delays of being put on waiting lists,” said Melody Douglas, chief executive of the Rees Foundation.
“The membership package is co-produced and integrative, ensuring that the welfare of our care leavers and stakeholders is at its heart.”
For more information visit: www.reesfoundation.org/ask-jan-membership
