What is wrong with the Government’s plans for children’s mental health?
Two Parliamentary committees have issued a report strongly criticising Government plans for children and young people’s mental healthcare provision.
Education and Health and Social Care Select Committees found proposals outlined by the Green Paper Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health lack ambition and will provide no help to most of the children who most need it.
The narrow scope of the Green Paper does not take into account several vulnerable groups, which would include hundreds of thousands of children, the committees said.
Committee members said the Green Paper also fails to consider prevention, including provision to deal with the pressures imposed by high stakes examinations and opportunities to promote emotional resilience in the 0 to 5-year age group, which can prevent mental health problems later in life.
NHS England has announced that specialist perinatal mental health community services will be available in every part of the country by April next year.
Further information
Gov.uk: Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision: a Green Paper
NHS England: NHS England pledges specialist mental health services for new mums in every part of the country
Parliament.uk: Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision inquiry