https://ourtimecharity.org.uk/

Who we are

Our Time charity helps children and young people who live with, and sometimes care for, a parent with a mental illness. There are millions of children in this situation in the UK but there is no policy or support for them, despite their vulnerability. We became a registered charity in 2012, governed by a board of trustees from a variety of backgrounds, including experts by experience and past beneficiaries. We have developed innovative ways of helping these children and the family, which are low cost, and delivered locally in partnership with local health and social care providers. We are specialists and thought leaders in our field and are the only charity working specificially with this large, but hidden group. We are led by our community with whom we have designed all our interventions.

Our culture and values

Collaborative – bringing people together to share experience, knowledge, integrating care across boundaries of health, social care, and education as well as service boundaries of adult and children’s mental health.

Respectful – recognising people’s experience and knowledge, working with families, helping them to have a sense of agency, of being importantmembers of a community with wisdom and support to offer each other.

Honest – open conversations about mental illness, putting that on the table from the beginning, respecting boundaries of role and the responsibility for safeguarding and the sensitivity needed when talking about mental illness and its impact on children and young people.

Non-judgemental approach to mitigate the shame and embarrassmen associated with having a mental health problem. Always looking for ways to build confidence and a sense of self-worth in the parents and the children, creating safe enjoyable environments which foster resilience and trust.

Community building -Bringing families together in community settings to counteract social isolation and stigma, building confidence and a sense of belonging.