“We’re deeply disappointed that today’s Budget missed a vital opportunity to invest in babies, children, and young people’s mental health. For too long, our sector has been calling on the Government to turn the tide on children’s mental health but yet again, our voices have been ignored.
We urgently need increased support in education settings through the full national roll of out Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) – the Government’s current commitment for 50% of settings to have an MHST by 2025 simply isn’t enough. We want early support hubs in every local area, so that all young people can access the help they need and deserve, plus substantial investment in specialist mental health care for those most in need. These services remain woefully under-funded and demand far outstrips capacity, leaving too many young people unable to access support until they reach crisis point.
So, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition will keep pushing, along with our members and partners, for a fully-funded package of support across education settings, in the community and for specialist services. We want all political parties to commit to this ahead of the next election.”
Amy Whitelock Gibbs, Chair, Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition
