New garden and play space inspired and created by young people opens at Wrexham Maelor Hospital

19/04/2024

A team of young people and child health practitioners have worked together to create a new outdoor space at Wrexham Child Health Centre.

The project started when a young person accessing the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) at the centre in Wrexham wanted to look at the entire CAMHS environment, from the clinic rooms to the website.

The young person, a member of the Senedd yr Ifanc – Wrexham's Youth Parliament, was asked to help improve the service and set up a survey reaching 950 people aged 10 to 25 who lived in Wrexham. About half of the respondents had attended the Child Health Centre at some point in their lives and feedback included ideas for improvements to the clinic rooms, information and resources for children and an outdoor area for them to visit.

Marilyn Wells, Head of Nursing for CAMHS, said: “Play is already an important part of assessment at the Child Health Centre. We also have a role in making sure children have time to play on site as part of their recovery. Our patients are children first, all who have a right to play. It is important to provide a range of environments to ensure we maximise the opportunity for play with our children which in turn helps with engagement.”

CAMHS and Senedd yr Ifanc collaborated to ensure that the project was youth led and that play is kept in mind through the environmental improvements. A range of partners, such as the council’s Play and Youth Support Team, Coleg Cambria and the National Trust worked with child health professionals and the estates team to co-produce an outdoor space which supports a range of play types and offers a place to explore and relax in.

Jane Berry, CAMHS Patient Experience Lead, said: “Co-production and engagement takes time to ensure that the views and suggestions of children are listened to as part of the play garden improvement.

“Visiting playwork sessions with the council’s play team was really helpful and inspiring. Seeing children lead their own play reminded us how important playing is to children.”

Cllr Rob Walsh, Lead Member for Children’s Services, said: “This is an excellent example of young people being listened to and partners responding in a way that has resulted in an improved environment for those children and young people who use this important service.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in the completion of this project which will  help and support many young people here in Wrexham.”

CAMHS own team members have got to work and rolled up their sleeves, along with young people, Coleg Cambria staff and students and the hospital’s estates team to turn space next to the centre into a child-friendly area.

The garden includes space for early years, quiet spaces, shelters and a playbox with loose parts to support play and creativity.