The Care Forum has launched a survey to better understand the impact and response of the West of England voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in supporting service user mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.
The Care Forum’s Dialogue team has led the delivery of this research in partnership with the West of England Civil Society Partnership and Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset public health.
The purpose of the research is:
- To better understand if West of England VCSE organisations are experiencing changing mental health risks and needs among service users in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.
- To understand whether regional VCSE organisations are experiencing any demand or capacity issues when supporting the mental health needs of service users.
- To better understand what support regional VCSE organisations need to meet the mental health needs of their service users during this time.
By developing our understanding through this research, The Care Forum and the West of England Civil Society Partnership, local authorities and regional commissioners will be able to improve strategic decision-making and support for the VCSE sector through this challenging time. By gathering strong data to understand the impact of the epidemic on our sector we can demonstrate the pivotal role VCSE organisations of all shapes and sizes have played in supporting local communities now and into the future.
The Care Forum and its partners asks our friends and colleagues across the West of England VCSE sector to take a moment to complete this survey and share it widely.
You can find the survey here.
Our social media post link is here.
Further Questions & Research
If you or your organisation has any questions about this research or you’d like to develop something similar in partnership with The Care Forum, please contact our research team: research@thecareforum.org.uk
