LGA responds to Education Policy Institute report on children's mental health services

13 Jan 2020 01:14 PM

Cllr Judith Blake, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board responded to the Education Policy Institute’s report on how one in four children referred to specialist mental health services in England were rejected in 2018-19

“This report reinforces the need to do more nationally to improve children’s mental health services and develop a system that says yes to children when they ask for or need help. Waiting too long for support can escalate issues for children and young people and create further funding challenges as problems become more complex and expensive to treat.

“Councils have a vital role in supporting children’s mental health and are keen to work with the Government to promote early intervention and prevention so the system moves away from treating children once they are ill and moves further towards helping them and their families cope with the challenges they face earlier on.

“This includes long-term investment in the vital early intervention and prevention services which can help children avoid reaching crisis point in the first place.”

Report:  Access to child and adolescent mental health services in 2019