ADCS president reiterates call for children’s mental health review
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, July 7, 2022
The president of the Association of Children’s Services (ADCS) has reiterated calls for a national review of mental health support for children.
Steve Crocker, who is director of children’s services for Hampshire and Isle of Wight, told delegates at the association’s annual conference that “the way the system is currently designed does not work for children in acute distress”.
Crocker reiterated calls for a national review which he first made in his inaugural presidential address in April.
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He told the ADCS conference today (7 July) that directors of children’s services are responsible for all children in their area and it is those children who “almost always point to mental health and wellbeing as their biggest priority, so I am duty bound to raise it on their behalf.”
Speaking to CYP Now at the conference, Crocker said that a review would aim to help local and national government and public services “understand how to best address children’s mental health needs in a social and community context”.
“It’s about joining up all services that work with children’s mental health,” he added.
“We have many examples of children not getting a good deal from the NHS in this regard and leaving that to local authorities but we ought to be doing that together and doing better.”
Crocker put forward calls for practitioners from child and adolescent mental health services to be included in proposed family help teams outlined in Josh MacAlister’s Care Review as well as improving the transition to adult mental health services for 18-year-olds.
“We are seeing a ‘cliff-edge’ both ways with some children losing support when they turn 18 and others being unable to get help until that point and then being sectioned or ending up in hospital,” he said.
Crocker also used his speech to highlight a “critical time” for children’s services following the publication of the Care Review, the schools white paper and the SEND and alternative provision green paper.
“We must seize the moment and embrace the opportunity but not curtail our ambitions, there are areas where we must go further and faster,” he told delegates.
Former Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi was due to follow Crocker and deliver a keynote speech at the conference.
However, following his promotion to Chancellor of the Exchequer the floor was opened up to directors of children’s services to discuss key issues faced by local authorities.
Zahawi was replaced by Michelle Donelan, MP for Chippenham, who quit just 24 hours after accepting the role over Boris Johnson’s handling of the Chris Pincher affair.
Johnson named James Cleverly as Education Secretary just hours before he resigned as Prime Minister.