Ministers must invest in young people in 2022

One year on, I fear we are not only no further forward, but even further back. The pandemic continues, and while vaccinations have allowed young people to establish an adapted way of living, the battle scars for both themselves and the sectors supporting them are clear to see.

Last month, the Commons’ health and social care committee released a report into the progress made by the government to improve children and young people’s mental health. The report highlighted that existing community services play a crucial role in offering preventative and early intervention support, promoting good mental health and reducing problems by acting in everyday settings. However, the report also pointed out that funding pressures have meant that budget holders have been forced to focus on those children and young people facing the most urgent difficulties, and not this valuable holistic approach.