The Grassroots Network is a collaborative venture between WestFocus, Kingston University & St George's University of 
London, and the South West London & St Georges NHS Mental Health Trust.
The Grassroots Network arose out of a concern that children and young people are misunderstood, stigmatised and too easily medicalised. Their day-to-day issues and concerns are often not truly listened to by adults.
A child or young person can become very distressed about anything from acne to relationships to climate change. Developing resilience and coping with change is part of growing up and adults need to assist young people in understanding and making sense of the world around them. In particular adults need to stop seeing young people as 'the problem' when in fact adult society so often creates problems for young people.
No single organisation or individual has all the answers, but through working together, networking and talking to all those in positions of care, from dinner ladies to doctors, night workers to nurses, it is possible to develop knowledge, skills and understanding and thus improve the quality of emotional care available to young people.
Download the October 2007 Newsletter here (PDF file)
Click here to see the Grassroots Project provisional aims.
