Our Work

We are a coalition of leading organisations from across England, with a growing base of supporters who are passionate about the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Through the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, our charities come together and speak as one on behalf of children and young people’s mental health.

The Coalition was launched in the House of Lords in March 2010, previously hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, but now sits at the Centre for Mental Health as its new home. We are chaired by Dr Pooky Knightsmith and operate thanks to the generosity of Zurich Community Trust, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Comic Relief and John Ellerman Foundation (the Funders’ Alliance).

Our Strategy

In July 2018, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition proudly moved to the Centre for Mental Health. The move to a new host offered us an opportunity to think more deeply about the kind of organisation we believe might best suit our strategic direction and has allowed us a thorough review of our key priorities.

A survey was circulated to members to gather responses from across the whole membership to find out more about their key priorities for improving infant, children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing and extend our learning community. This subsequently led to the development of a revised strategic plan for the CYPMHC for the next three years. 

Three key strategic priorities for the Coalition to take forward and influence over the coming years are:

download strategic plan

Prevention & Promotion

The promotion of good mental health, the prevention of mental health difficulties and the
reduction of inequalities in all national and local policies and strategies impacting on infants,
children, young people and families

Early Intervention

Greater investment in accessible, high quality, person-centred, early intervention approaches
to infants’, children’s and young people’s mental health

Skills & Confidence

Everyone having the knowledge, skills and confidence to recognise and address the mental
health needs of infants, children and young people.