Growing Together is an innovative partnership between iCope and Islington CAMHS. The team provides psychological intervention to parents with primary care level mental health issues, as well their children aged one to five who also require psychological intervention.

The service offers a range of interventions and tailors support to each individual family, with the aim of improving both parent and child wellbeing. Families are seen at community locations, such as children's centres, and some services can also be provided at the family's home or online/by phone where appropriate.

Growing Together also provides outreach activities in the community in order to maximize the accessibility of the team. This includes offering psycho-educational workshops to the public, and training and consultations to professionals. Details of upcoming workshops for parents can be found on the service's Eventbrite page.

Services for families include:

• MindSkills group, a course for parents to learn cognitive-behavioural therapy skills to manage depression or anxiety
• Mellow Parenting Group, a 15-week parenting group for mothers who would like support with the emotional challenges of parenting 
• adult psychological therapies
• parent-infant/child psychotherapy
• family/couple therapy
• child behaviour management and parenting advice.

Services for professionals include:

• consultation regarding families and parental mental health issues
• training in adult and child mental health for professionals working with children in Islington.

See the iCope website for more information about Growing Together, including information about how to contact the service regarding training or consultation, as well as for details of upcoming open-access workshops for the public (please note that members of the public attending these workshops are not referred to or assessed by the Growing Together team).

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• registered with an Islington GP
• parent/carer has consented to being referred to the Growing Together service
• parent/carer has mental health needs or is experiencing psychological distress and the child also has needs
• child is aged 1-5 years.

Exclusions

• parent requires secondary care mental health services (e.g. has significant mental health issues and/or severe risk issues)
• only parent or child has needs, or where another service would be more suitable
• safeguarding concerns (e.g. the family is currently undergoing assessment with child social services).

How to Refer