Children’s Mental Health Special Report
Derren Hayes
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Children’s mental health has long been characterised by long waiting lists and inconsistent provision, but it is hoped more funding, system reorganisation and policy measures will improve access to support.
Research shows that half of all mental health conditions are established before the age of 14 and that early intervention could prevent many of these problems from escalating in adolescence and adulthood. According to the Department of Health and Social Care, the cost of untreated adult mental ill health is £105bn each year. It is for this reason that the focus of recent government policy has shifted towards improving access to support when problems first emerge.
The 2017 Children’s Mental Health Green Paper set out to “transform support for children and young people’s mental health” through measures to improve links between education settings and community-based mental health services. The green paper states: “We want to make sure that young people have access to the services they need, whilst teachers and schools – who are often on the front line of recognising and supporting a young person’s mental health problems – have access to the training they need.”
The green paper states one in 10 children have a diagnosable mental health condition, but more recent analysis by NHS Digital suggests the scale of need has risen steadily over the past three years. Figures from 2019 showed that one in eight children had a probable diagnosable mental health condition. And another NHS Digital survey carried out in July 2020, found levels had risen further to one in six children and young people.
Click on the links below to read more:
- Policy Context
- Research Evidence: Introduction by Kadra Abdinasir
- Mental Health for All? The Final Report of the Commission for Equality in Mental Health
- A Review of Recent Evidence into Children and Young People’s Mental Health
- Overshadowed: The Mental Health Needs of Children and Young People with Learning Disabilities
Practice examples: - Peer mentoring scheme prevents problems escalating
- Social prescribing service boosts mental health of Sheffield young people