DEMAND is so high on a children’s mental health charity it has moved to larger premises to help more youngsters.
TADS Barnsley provides therapies for anxiety, depression and stress for young people aged between 11 and 18.
The voluntary group began providing support two years ago after it won more than £340k in Big Lottery funding. The main aim was to relieve some of the pressure being felt by Barnsley Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services which at that time had a waiting list of 12 months or more.
TADS’ manager Karen Mitchell said the number of people it saw in a year far outstripped expectations. She had anticipated 250 children coming through the doors but this year they have helped 380.
The charity, which has been based at The Core on County Way for two years, has now won £60,000 in funding which has helped it secure a large building at Queens Road, near the Metrodome, so it has the space to cope with demand.
The funding has come from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and will be used to cover the rent for two years on the new premises and allow it to extend services to those aged up to 25.
Karen said: “As you can imagine the little space we have is bursting at the seams and we are getting more volunteers on board but there is not enough room for them.
“The new site will enable us to see 400 people.
“We hope by year two (of the funding) we have made some kind of dent in the waiting list for CAMHS which is still long and there is a three year wait for a diagnosis for ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) and it takes about three months to do one assessment on a child.
“We are picking up these people. We are inundated every day with people coming in.
“They can access us immediately and the longest wait usually is four weeks but if they need help straight away they get it.”
Karen added: “We deal with everything, from where children feel unhappy and do not know what’s going on but are feeling sad or stressed, right up to those with suicidal thoughts and self harm.”
She has high hopes for the new premises but there is one slight glitch - it needs some TLC before they can fully move over in the new year.
All the funding the charity receives goes on services for clients so it has launched an appeal - #SOSTADS - calling on kind-hearted DIY heroes to help them freshen up the new HQ.
Karen has even been given some pointers by TV presenter Nick Knowles who fronts the popular show DIY SOS.
She said: “I tweeted him and he tweeted back and gave us some tips. I couldn’t believe it. He gave us some suggestions on how to go about it and where we need to go to for help.
“The building is a bit dilapidated. It’s extremely old and some parts have not been used in several years.
“What we need is to get the kids’ group room ready and get it done before we move in so we can continue and then do the rest as and when we can.
“We want it to be nice when the kids come because they’re already struggling with anxiety and stress and we want them to come in to a nice environment.”
Staff from XPO, which runs the ASOS site at Grimethorpe, have made a start on the 16 rooms but there is much work left to do before the charity officially moves there in February.
If you are a tradesman, decorator, handyman, DIY business, carpet fitter or supplier, TADS needs your help. Contact Karen on 872120 or email karenm@tadsbarnsley.co.uk.
