Listening Ear

Our award-winning CYP service has over 10 years’ experience of working with beneficiaries presenting with separation (such as divorce) and loss (including traumatic bereavement, such as murder, manslaughter and suicide).

Our suicide liaison service (AMPARO) operates an open referral process whereby referrals can come from coroners and other agencies as well as via a self-referral process. It is currently commissioned to support anyone from the Cheshire, Merseyside, Liverpool, Lancashire, South Yorkshire and Suffolk areas who are affected by suicide and is currently in discussion with other commissioners to expand the service to other areas.

How does your organisation contribute to preventing suicide and supporting those affected by it?

Listening Ear delivers the AMAPRO suicide liaison service, which is broadly based on the Derry model. We employ community based liaison workers who make contact with anybody affected by a suicide, following their consent, within 24 hours. We then offer liaison support up until the inquest. Listening Ear also provides bereavement counselling for adults presenting with mental health issues associated with bereavement from suicide. With regards to CYP, we deliver an award-winning service providing creative therapies for beneficiaries who are affected by the bereavement from suicide of a family member or other. Listening Ear are also working with relevant agencies in delivering the ZERO suicide ambition for Cheshire and Merseyside.

What are your current priorities?

AMPARO
To continue to deliver the service to a high standard and to work with commissioners in the UK to develop the service in new areas.

Bereavement counselling
To work with the local CCG to promote the service, with a view to either wider commissioning, or subcontracting with appropriate IAPT based delivery agencies.

CYP support
To work with the local CAMHS to promote the service, with a view to either wider commissioning, or subcontracting with appropriate delivery agencies.

ZERO suicide ambition
To work with local agencies with regards to mass marketing campaigns to ensure appropriate information is provided around suicide. To coordinate and deliver appropriate training to a wide audience with regard to suicide awareness. To work with local agencies in the delivery of both proactive and reactive ‘Sanctuary’ facilities.

What challenges are you currently facing?

The current challenges in delivering these outcomes are:

AMPARO – ensuring that the service is as widely promoted as possible, on a limited marketing budget. In addition a referral cannot be made from the coroner without consent from the potential beneficiary. Due to the ‘rapid response’ nature of the service, many potential beneficiaries don’t give consent for the referral during the immediate ‘aftermath’ of a suicide.

In terms of the bereavement counselling support we offer, this is currently restricted to Knowsley based residents, and not across the same footprint as the AMAPRO service.

In terms of the CYP therapeutic support we offer, this is currently restricted to certain geographical areas, and not across the same footprint as the AMAPRO service.