The first budget from this Government promised the potential to deliver long overdue change for babies’, children’s and young people’s mental health. With a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children, the budget was a crucial opportunity for the Government to demonstrate their commitment to these promises. And there are some glimmers of hope.
The increased investment in the NHS, in schools, and in special educational needs and disabilities, as well as more funding for family hubs, are all steps in the right direction and will go some way in easing the pressure on families.
But we needed to see more urgent and more wide-scale action and investment.
We need mental health professionals in every school and college through the full national roll out of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs).
We need the roll out of Young Futures hubs in every community that are focused on providing early mental health support, and not just reducing anti-social behaviour.
We need action to address the root causes of mental health problems, such as reducing poverty, improving housing, the rising number of speech and language challenges, and an end to racism and discrimination.
But ultimately, we need a government that delivers its promise to not only achieve parity of esteem between physical and mental health, but also to achieve parity between children and adults. This means that the children’s mental health system gets its fair share of increased investment. Children can no longer be at the back of the queue.
As a sector representing the mental health of babies, children and young people, we can no longer afford to operate on the basis of broken promises. With rising need, overstretched services, the legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic and deepening social inequalities, the mental health of babies, children and young people has never been more important.
We remain optimistic and hopeful for change, and as a sector we are here and are ready to support. But we need strong assurances now that this change will be delivered for babies, children and young people’s mental health.
The Government must use the next Budget in the Spring to reset and truly invest in the mental health system, so all babies, children and young people can thrive.
Signed by:
Amy Whitelock Gibbs, Chair, CYPMHC
Alicia Drummond, Founder, The Wellbeing Hub
Alison Railton, Head of Policy and External Affairs, Kidney Research UK
Alyson Wylding, Director, No5 Young People
Andy Bell, CEO, Centre for Mental Health
Bec Jasper, Co-director, PACT Parents and Carers Together CIC
Bryony Doughty, Head of Marketing, MQ
Cassandra Harrison, CEO Youth Access
Cathy Nurser, Communications and Writing Lead, PTUK.
Cathy Wassell, CEO, Autistic Girls Network
Claire Dorer OBE, Chief Executive, NASS (National Association of Special Schools
Danny Hutchinson, CEO, Invictus Wellbeing
David Hughes, Chief Executive, Association of Colleges
Denise Wilson OBE, Chair, Girlguiding
Dom Smithies, Head of Influencing & Communications, Student Minds
Dr Aimée Webster, Educational and Child Psychologist, Founder and Director of Developing Brighter Futures, Ltd
Dr Beth Bodycote, Director, Not Fine in School
Dr Elaine Lockhart, Chair of the Child and Adolescent Faculty, Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Dr Krutika Pau, Director of Children’s Services & Deputy CEO, Starlight Children’s Foundation
Dr Martin Edwards, Chief Executive, Julia’s House Children’s Hospice
Dr Shantanu Kundu MBChB MSc FRSPH – Chief Executive – Be Free Campaign
Dympna Cunnane, CEO, Our Time
Eamon McCrory, CEO, Anna Freud
Ellen Dunn, Policy and Research Manager, UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
Ellie Costello, Executive Director, Square Peg
Emily Frith, CEO, Adoption UK
Emma Rigby, Chief Executive, Association for Young People’s Health
Ged Flynn, Chief Executive, PAPYRUS
Jacob Diggle, Chief Impact Officer, UK Youth
Jane Harris CEO Speech and Language UK
Jane Sedgewick, Director, Associate Development Solutions Ltd
Janey Downshire, Co-founde, Teenagers Translated
Jay Perkins, Founder and CEO, Partisan
Jennifer Fear. CEO. Step Forward (Tower Hamlets)
Jennifer Rushwort-Claeys, Director of service delivery Young People and Mental Health , With You
Jess Mullen, Chief Executive, Alliance for Youth Justice
Jessica Bondy, Founder, Words Matter
Jo Morton-Brown, Emotional Health Practitioner, Flourish
Judy Willits, Co Founder, Stormbeak CIO
Justin Irwin, CEO, Maternal Mental Health Alliance
Jyles Robillard-Day, CEO, The National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society
Kate Wareham, Director, Redthread, Strategic Director – Young People Families and Communities, Catch22
Katharine Sacks-Jones, CEO, Become
Kathryn Pugh MBE, Director, KCBD Limited
Kathy Roberts, Chief Executive, the Association of Mental Health Providers
Keith Reed, CEO, Parent-Infant Foundation
Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive, Carers Trust
Kiz Crosbie, CEO & Artistic Director at Mortal Fools
Lady Kelly Swain & Natasha Ralph, CEO & Founder, National Online Wellbeing Service (N.O.W.S)
Laura Bunt, Chief Executive, YoungMinds
Leigh Wallbank, CEO, OCD action
Leon Tozer, Director, Mental Health in Combat sport CIC
Lisa Carroll, CEO, Lifespace Trust
Liz Neill, Director, Common Room North
Louisa Rose, CEO, Beyond
Louise Burke, Editorial Director, Netmums.
Louise King, Director of the Children’s Rights Alliance for England, part of Just for Kids Law.
Maggie Cleary, CEO, SEND the Right Message Charity (STRM)
Marie Ellis, Barnsley Manager, HOME, Chilypep
Mark Rowland, CEO, Mental Health Foundation
Mark Russell, Chief Executive, The Children’s Society
Matt Buttery, Chief Executive Officer, Triple P
Monique Collier, CEO, Young Persons Advisory Service
Naana Otoo- Oyortey, Executive Director, FORWARD
Natalie Webb, CEO, No Limits
Neil Taylor, Head of Community services, Young Barnet Foundation
Paul Wright, Public Health & Political Director, Children’s Alliance
Paula Farrow, CEO, MyOTAS charity
Peter Templeton, Founder, The William Templeton Foundation for Young People’s Mental Health (YPMH)
Pip Gardner, Chief Executive, The Kite Trust
Rachel Bundock, Chief Executive Officer, Compass
Richard Beesley, Founder & Director, Juvenile Arthritis Research
Rossanna Trudgian, Deputy Director of External Affairs and Development, Ambitious about Autism.
Saiqa Naz, President – British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies
Sarah Hughes, CEO, Mind
Sarah McIntosh, CEO, MHFA England
Sarah Randell, Chief Executive, Teapot Trust
Sarah Thomas, CEO, The Fostering Network
Sharon White, CEO SAPHNA
Sharron Smith, CEO York Carers Centre
Simone Spray , Chief Executive, 42nd Street
Sir David Holmes CBE, CEO Family Action
Souci Frissa, CEO, Black Thrive Global
Stephanie Woodrow, Children’s Mental Health Programme, Impact on Urban Health
Styliana Pasiardi, Campaigns and Advocacy Officer, Together Trust
Sue Bell OBE DL, CEO and Clinical Director, Kids Inspire
Tara Leathers, CEO ,Prudence Trust
Tim Coulson, Chair, Schools Wellbeing Partnership
Vanessa Pinfold, Research director and co-founder, McPin Foundation
Wendy Minhinnett BEM, Rollercoaster Family Support
Wendy Tabuteau & Hannah Baker, Co-CEO, Partnership for Children
