National I-Thrive Programme

The National i-THRIVE Programme is a national programme of innovation and improvement in child and adolescent mental health that is being implemented in sites across the country. i-THRIVE was selected as an NHS Innovation Accelerator in 2016 and is now endorsed in the NHS Long Term Plan. i-THRIVE is the implementation of the THRIVE Framework for system change (Wolpert et al, 2019), translating the principles of the THRIVE Framework into local models of care using an evidence based approach to implementation. i-THRIVE has been designed to enable a move towards delivery of a population health model for children and young people’s mental health and promotes the use of Quality Improvement techniques. Sites are supported through implementation via the i-THRIVE Toolkit and also through the i-THRIVE Academy, a set of learning and development modules created for cross-sector professionals that support children and young people’s mental health. The THRIVE Framework was originally developed by a collaboration of authors from the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust and the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families in 2014. The THRIVE Framework is an integrated, person centred and needs led approach to delivering mental health services for children, young people and families which conceptualises need in five categories; Thriving, Getting Advice and Signposting, Getting Help, Getting More Help and Getting Risk Support. Emphasis is placed on the promotion of mental health and wellbeing, and for children, young people and their families to be empowered to be actively involved in decisions about their care through shared decision making.