Lighthouse - Children and Young Peoples Weight Management Service
Lighthouse was launched in early 2023 as part of the Welsh Government strategy called Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales to help support families to identify, manage or avoid the challenges that can be associated with excess weight. Research, as well as our clinical experiences with lots of wonderful families, tell us that children with excess weight are more likely to have, or to develop, health issues related to their body weight and that these health issues can continue or become worse during adolescence and adulthood. These challenges can include things like bone and joint problems, pain, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, diabetes and poor psychological wellbeing. We understand how complex and personal weight management can be, so to support this we have a team of different professionals to best support an individuals’ needs.
The Lighthouse team
Helen Jenkins - Operational Lead
Cerys Thompson - Team Administrator
Dr Jess Cartwright - Clinical Psychologist
Kevin Miller - Dietitian
Briony Guerin - Physiotherapist
Dr Sian Moynihan - Consultant Paediatrician
Rebecca Bishop - Youth Focus Therapy Assistant Practitioner
Hannah Bendoni - Therapy Assistant Practitioner
*This could be subject to change and the interventions offered depend on staff availability. The team may also be supported at times by students.
Our core beliefs
- Weight management is about improving health and well-being, and not simply reducing numbers on the scale.
- We look to address ‘root causes’ of excess weight and remove roadblocks for families to make healthy changes.
- A child’s ‘best’ BMI may not be their ‘Ideal’ BMI.
- Success is different for every child and family.
- Weight bias can be a barrier to weight management.
Contact us
We work with children and young people aged between 0-18 living with the complications of overweight and obesity.
We accept request for help from a variety of people including families. We want to hear your voice. You can request help from us using our referral form or you can ask your healthcare professional to support you.
Go here for the Lighthouse Family Request for Help form.
Go here for the Lighthouse Professional Request for Help form.
For more information, please email SBU.Lighthouse@wales.nhs.uk or call 01639 683142.
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.
We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.