Christmas Resilience Plan for Young People in Cheshire & Merseyside
The knowledge and experience generated by implementing the Complex Needs Escalation and Support Tool (CNEST) and Gateway between 2022 and 2024 was key to this and professional resilience planning is focussed on the following system principles:
- To continue to agree timely support in response to the mental health and complex unmet needs of young people in Cheshire and Merseyside using CNEST and Gateway during this period.
- To continue to utilise Gateway (Level 1) and Resolution (Level 2) discussion.
- To be informed by feedback from Cheshire and Merseyside Gateway Chairs concerning young people identified as experiencing increasingly complex needs, which may have resulted in placement breakdown during December 2025.
- To reflect co-production from Experts by Experience and carers during development of the Complex Needs Escalation Support Framework.
- To be consistent with NHS Quality Domains.
On Thursday 4 December colleagues from Local Authorities, NHS Providers and ICB joined a webinar to learn more about the Christmas Resilience Plan. If you missed the webinar, a recording is available below.
The slide set from the webinar is also available, in addition to a comprehensive set of frequently asked questions, based on feedback received during 2024 and 25. A summary briefing document, circulated to professionals for children and young people's services in Cheshire and Merseyside has also been prepared for review by professionals.
Having evaluated the approach to resilience planning applied in 2024, in addition to developing communications to support professionals to utilise the Complex Needs Escalation Support Framework, LPC colleagues have also been working with Local Authority and ICB representatives to identify additional crisis provision for safer, short-term support. Details concerning these arrangements will be shared with Local Authority colleagues as appropriate.
An essential feature of the 2024 evaluation and planning for 2025 has been engagement with Experts by Experience. As Fizz, a member of the Level Up Experts by Experience Forum told us:
As someone who is all too familiar with the lack of professionals and support during the festive period, seeing the dedication and hard work to ensure that no one gets stuck in the gaps during an incredibly difficult time of year makes me feel hopeful.
There is real commitment and positive change within services to ensure there will always be someone and a place ready to support young people and meet their needs.
The sheer amount of time and care put into making this plan tangible and actionable is truly phenomenal. I have faith that trauma and hardship will be avoided at all costs for young people who end up in crisis in the holiday period.
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