ll need kids NHS Mental health services must have a guarantee of being seen within four weeks, or the next day for those at risk of self-harm and suicide, according to a new report.
The study, from the Commission on Young Lives, chaired by the former Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfieldsaid the current system is collapsing under pressure and called for a massive cash injection.
It criticized the fact that NHS services often turn down referrals for help, including for children who have injured themselves, attempted suicide or have an eating disorder, while waiting a long time for those who do make the list.
It called up Government and the next Prime Minister to sign up to a five- to 10-year strategy with an immediate £1bn cash injection to improve support for young people with “guaranteed appointment and treatment times”.
This means a national guarantee that all children and young people who need NHS mental health care for children and young people are seen within a four week period, “with guaranteed emergency next day appointments for children at risk of serious self-harm and suicide”.
The report states that access to mental health care remains a “postcode lottery”. A recent YoungMinds survey found that 76% of parents say their children’s mental health deteriorates while they wait for help.
In addition, in 2020/2021, only 23% of children referred to NHS services actually started treatment within four weeks, it added.
This is in contrast to a huge increase in the demand for care, including eating disorders among those who see an increase.
In March 2022, 90,789 young people were referred to NHS children and youth mental health services, the highest number since registration began.
The report said: “YoungMinds told us about two particularly poignant examples of young people who had attempted suicide but were still unable to access NHS children and youth mental health services (CYPMHS).
A young woman was admitted to the emergency room by ambulance after attempting suicide, but was discharged 12 hours later. Her family contacted mental health services daily for over a week, but did not receive a follow-up appointment or phone call
“We heard about a teenage boy who was released from hospital after trying to take his own life, but after 10 days no one from mental health had contacted him.
“A young woman was admitted to the emergency room by ambulance after attempting suicide, but was discharged 12 hours later. Her family contacted mental health services daily for over a week but did not receive a follow-up appointment or phone call.”
Overall, one in six children aged six to 16 has a likely mental health problem — a “massive increase” from one in nine in 2017, the report said.
It highlighted those who are more likely to have poor mental health, with half of all children in care meeting the criteria for a possible mental health disorder, compared to one in 10 outside the care system.
Children of LGBTQI+ groups are also “disproportionately affected”, as are those with special educational needs and disabilities, and children of black, brown and ethnic minorities.
In addition, children in poverty are more likely to suffer and “feel that no one and/or any service cares about them”.
In a foreword to the survey, Ms Longfield described “a very deep crisis in the mental health of children and young people in England”.
She said the Covid pandemic was having a major impact, and school leaders, youth workers and those working in child services “have told me that dealing with students who self-injure and attempt suicide is now a regular part of their professional lives”.
Some of the recommendations include a guaranteed mental health assessment for children and young people for vulnerabilities, such as those entering care, and a greater focus on increasing the workforce in all services.
There should also be a national implementation program to embed a “whole school and college approach to mental health”, with a government commitment to provide a funding package for mental health support teams after 2023/24.
The study warns that failing to support young people with mental health problems could lead to more behavioral incidents at school, an increase in exclusions and more children at risk of being cared for and exploited.
The children’s mental health emergency in England is so profound that we face a generational threat to the future national prosperity and success of our country
The report also called for a “national social prescribing scheme in all areas that would enable GPs and health professionals to pay for sports, art, music, drama, activities, youth clubs, volunteering and sketching to boost youth confidence and self-esteem.” improve. ”
Ms Longfield said: “The child mental health emergency in England is such that we face a generational threat to the future national prosperity and success of our country.
“The general government response to this crisis in children’s mental health has so far been too slow and inadequate, and we are failing to support hundreds of thousands of children with mental health problems.”
dr. Trudi Seneviratne, registrar at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said it was unacceptable that so many children were waiting for treatment because of the “overwhelming pressure on specialist services”.
She added: “Without significant investment and urgent action to address the workforce crisis, many more young people could find themselves on the brink of crisis.”
Shadow Health Minister Rosena Allin-Khan said: “The future of our children must not be jeopardized as the government continues to ignore rising demand for mental health services, leaving many areas without access to services that are so much needed.
“This is why the next Labor government will eradicate the postcode lottery and guarantee mental health treatment to all who need it within a month.”
A government spokeswoman said: “We are doing everything we can to ensure that children have access to the support and resources they need as early as possible.
“We continue to take action to support their mental health – including £79 million to ensure 22,000 more children and young people have access to community mental health services, and to expand mental health teams in schools to support three million students to be achieved by 2024.
“This is in addition to our record investment to expand and transform services, providing an additional 345,000 children with access to support by 2024 and expanding the number of children in mental health care by more than 40%.”