Published on: 9 October 2026
To mark World Mental Health Day, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is sharing stories from people with lived experience, highlighting how listening, understanding and personalised support can make a meaningful difference to mental health recovery.
Kelly has shared her experience of supporting her son through significant mental health difficulties and navigating services to secure the help he needed. She hopes her story will highlight the importance of listening to young people and their families, providing support early and ensuring services work together.
What would you like people to understand about your experience of mental health?
Supporting a young person with significant mental health difficulties can affect every part of family life. It can be frightening and exhausting, particularly when you are trying to keep someone safe while navigating different services and understanding who is responsible for providing support.
As a parent, you often see changes and warning signs that professionals may not see during an appointment. It is really important that families are listened to and that their knowledge of the person is valued, while still respecting the young person’s own voice and choices.
My experience has also shown me how important early intervention, consistency and good communication are.
When have you felt listened to, understood or taken seriously?
I felt listened to and taken seriously when a worker from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), which supports children and young people with their mental health, helped me after my son had been declined a mental health assessment.
She listened to my concerns, understood why I was worried and genuinely had my son’s best interests and needs at heart. She backed up the concerns I raised in emails and supported what I said during meetings. Having a professional recognise the same concerns and advocate alongside me made a huge difference. I felt that my knowledge of my son as his parent was valued rather than dismissed.
What helps you feel safe and comfortable enough to speak openly?
I feel comfortable speaking openly when I know I am being listened to and that my concerns will be taken seriously. Professionals who are approachable, non-judgemental and honest help me to explain exactly what is happening without worrying that I will be seen as overreacting.
Trust is also important. I need to feel that professionals are working with me rather than against me, that they value what I know as a parent and that we can have difficult conversations openly. Consistent communication and knowing what will happen next also make a big difference.
How should people with lived experience be involved in decisions?
People with lived experience should be involved at every level, not just asked for feedback once decisions have already been made. This should include young people themselves as well as parents and carers who have experience of supporting someone through mental health services.
Lived experience should be valued alongside professional knowledge. People who have been through the system can identify gaps and barriers that may not always be obvious from a professional perspective. Services should also be able to show how people’s experiences and feedback have influenced change.
