About the programme

The Quality Improvement Taskforce was created by NHS England, in 2019, following a series of reports highlighting recommendations to improve the quality of care that children and young people receive within mental health inpatient services.

A Parent Council was developed to support lived experience input into the improvement projects. The Parent Council co-produced the role of Family Ambassador, designed to improve the support families and carers received when faced with their child being admitted into services, alongside clinicians and other stakeholders.

The Family Ambassador role is a new role and will be under the Peer Support Worker group of roles. Their approach is to build on shared experiences and empathy, and is valued and supported by the NHS.

It is intended to support parents navigate and understand the CAMHS Tier 4 inpatient system and help drive ongoing quality improvements. NHS England and NHS Improvement has designed the role so that a Family Ambassador will be available in all inpatient units across the country by 2022.

Primary and secondary audiences

Future potential Family Ambassadors that may be interested in the role, and current Family Ambassadors that are in learning.

Patients and service users, families and carers; mental health provider organisations in England – both board level and staff level

More information

NHS England and NHS Improvement has listened to the needs of families and carers about the care of their child in mental health inpatient settings. This role has been developed to provide practical support to families and carers so they can better understand their child’s care pathway.

The aim is to support the families and carers and give them the tools they need to feel included and able to participate in the care their child receives.