LGA response to Budget announcement on children and young people's mental health services

20 Mar 2015 12:28 PM

Cllr David Simmonds, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Children and Young People's Board, responded to the announcement in the Budget on additional funding for children and young people's mental health services.

"We have long called for more money to support children and young people's mental health services and we are pleased to see that there are plans to invest additional funding which could improve much needed access to these vital services for thousands more young people.

"As many as one in 10 children between the ages of one and 15 will suffer from a mental health disorder and we desperately need to see the whole system properly funded, resourced and joined up to ensure children and young people receive support when they need it.

"We have already been working with central government on the taskforce to improve mental health services and are keen to continue working with any new Government to ensure this is kept as a high priority. It is vital that the urgent improvements which have been identified are addressed and that the system is joined up to help tackle the challenges faced each day by children, young people and their parents who need to access mental health support."

Notes to editors

  1. One in 10 children between the ages of one and 15 will suffer from a mental health disorder – the Office for National Statistics Mental health in children and young people in Great Britain, 2005
  2. The recent publication of the Children and Young People's Mental Health Taskforce report and the Health Select Committee's report into CAMHS act as an urgent call to action. Any incoming Government needs to work with partners across the system both at national and local level to drive forward profound and permanent improvements to CAMHS as outlined in the recommendations in these reports.

Contact

Victoria Daly, Senior Media Officer
Local Government Association
Telephone: 020 7664 3308
Email: victoria.daly@local.gov.uk
Media Office (out-of-hours contact): 020 7664 3333
Local Government House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ