Branch is an online mental wellbeing hub for children and young people in Wirral, from 0 all the way to 18 (and up to 25 with additional needs). It doesn’t deliver services directly – it’s more of a guide, helping people to find the best tools and local support.
It can be used for any child or young person, no matter how big or small their worries feel. It’s packed with tips to help them feel better and, when they need a bit of extra support, gives simple routes into local services.
Branch doesn’t offer crisis support but has information on where to get help in an emergency.
When a child or young person needs a bit more support, they or a trusted adult can use Branch to find services that could work well for them.
To be matched to services that are part of Branch, simply answer a set of questions. Branch can then usually match to services straightaway, but when needed, our team behind the scenes will introduce themselves and help find the right services.
Anyone can browse Branch. Young people (13+) and trusted adults (parents, carers, GPs, teachers etc) can use the Branch questionnaire to be matched with services.
Young people may need the consent of a parent or carer to access some services.
Branch is run by lots of different organisations from across Wirral, and is powered by a partnership between Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council and the Cheshire and Merseyside ICB Wirral Place (NHS). We’ve joined forces because we’re all determined to make mental wellbeing support easier to understand and access.
Day-to-day, it’s supported by an alliance of organisations – Open Door Charity, Action for Children, Kooth, Utopia, Koala NW and Wirral MyMind Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (formerly CAMHS) – but the membership of Branch is growing all the time* to make it as easy as possible for children and young people to access a range of great services in Wirral.
*If you provide 0-25s mental wellbeing services in Wirral and would like your service(s) to be featured on Branch, please contact us at [email protected]