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We're inviting Health and Wellbeing Boards in England to tell us whether their local system to support children and young people with mental health problems matches the recommendations made in our Are we listening? report.

The report, published in March 2018, was the culmination of a review of children and young people’s mental health services commissioned by the Prime Minister in January 2017. It included recommendations for national, regional and local action.

Now we are following up on the recommendations by asking Health and Wellbeing Boards in England to complete a self-assessment process by responding to a series of questions that address key findings or recommendations in the Are we listening? report.

Dr Paul Lelliott, Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals (lead for mental health), yesterday said:

“Our review of children and young people’s mental health services made a number of recommendations for partners aimed at improving how local services, agencies and commissioners work together to support children and young people’s mental health needs.”

“We are now asking partners in local heath, care and education systems to tell us how they are progressing with implementation of the recommendations and what barriers they have faced. Once we have reviewed this feedback, we will report on the progress made and highlight examples of best practice and innovation that others might draw on. This fulfils the commitment we made in Are we listening? to encourage improvement in children and young people’s mental health services by reporting on the progress made to act on the findings and recommendations made in the report.”

We will report back on the responses in March 2020.

Further information: Health and Wellbeing Boards are a formal committee of the local authority who are responsible for promoting greater integration and partnership between bodies from the NHS, public health and local government. They also have a statutory duty, with clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to produce a joint-strategic needs assessment (JSNA) and a joint health and wellbeing strategy for their local population.