22m boost for child mental health services
Lauren Higgs
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The government has pledged an extra 22m to increase the availability of talking therapies to children and young people with mental health problems.
Last year the government pledged £32m to extend the improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) programme to children and young people over the next four years. The initiative had previously only been available to adults.
The additional £22m funding for children and young people’s IAPT will be spent on making a wider range of psychological therapies available to more young people with mental health problems, including eating disorders, depression, self-harm and conduct issues related to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The cash will also help finance training on talking therapies for NHS staff and professionals who work with young people such as teachers, social workers, youth workers and counsellors.
Announcing the investment, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said that too many young people suffer in silence with mental health problems.
"Mental health must have the same priority as physical health," he said. "Giving children the treatment they need as soon as they need it will help ensure that millions of children suffering from a mental health problem will have a fairer opportunity to succeed in life."
Care services minister Paul Burstow added: "We know psychological therapies work. Our aim is to transform existing mental health services for children so our children get the best treatment possible, from services that are more responsive to their needs."
Sarah Brennan, chief executive of youth mental health charity YoungMinds, said the expansion of children’s IAPT could boost early intervention and reduce the number of young people who develop severe and entrenched mental health problems in the future.
"Children and young people tell us they want to play a central role in making decisions about their care," she said. "Children and young people’s IAPT is a shining example of putting the voice of children and young people at the heart of design and delivery of services. As the programme expands we hope this continues."
One in 10 children aged 5-16 years has a clinically diagnosable mental health problem. Of adults with long-term mental health problems, half will have experienced their first symptoms before the age of 14.
