The King’s Speech marked a positive step in the right direction for the mental health of babies, children and young people.
We welcome the introduction of a new Mental Health Bill to reform the Mental Health Act 1983. The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, alongside the mental health sector, have long been calling for reform of the Mental Health Act 1983, and it is fantastic to see this finally happen. Reforming the Act provides a vital opportunity to strengthen the rights and safeguards for those admitted to mental health hospitals – particularly for children placed in inappropriate settings and in adult wards – and to re-balance the system to one that prioritises and promotes voice and choice in their treatment. It is crucial that the specific needs of children and young people are addressed – any new Mental Health Bill must strengthen measures for under-18s. We will be working with our members over the coming months to make sure children and young people are at the forefront of the reform process.
The introduction of a new Children’s Wellbeing Bill also holds great potential to improve children and young people’s mental health in education settings. Not only should this include the roll out of mental health support in all schools and colleges, but commitments to embed whole school and college approaches to mental health to ensure education settings actively promote, protect and support the mental health of their students and staff.
While we welcome these announcements, the King’s Speech was also a missed opportunity to tackle child poverty. Poverty is one of the most serious threats to the mental health of babies, children, and young people. Efforts such as eliminating the two-child limit could help thousands of children and young people out of poverty and protect their mental health.
But legislation is only a piece of the puzzle. This must be backed by improved mental health services, a strong workforce and sustainable investment. The King’s Speech stated improving mental health provision for children and young people as a priority and we urge the government to take swift action to address the challenges in the children’s mental health system, which leaves many without the support they need. This includes rolling out Young Future hubs in every local area to increase access to early mental health support and increasing investment in specialist children’s mental health services. These measures must be supported by a comprehensive, long-term strategy for improving mental health throughout life.
