£40 million to improve children and young people’s mental health services

Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey has written to health boards setting out priority areas of investment from the Scottish Government’s recently announced £120 million Recovery and Renewal Fund.

Ms Haughey said: “The lockdown has been difficult for us all, not least young people – affecting their work, social and family lives and job and learning opportunities. That is why we intend to make around £40 million available to take forward dedicated work to improve Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

“This will include capacity building to meet expected increases in demand, specialist neurodevelopmental assessments, and ensuring young people have access to intensive psychiatric inpatient care when they need it.

“An essential part of this investment will be funding for a clinical director for each CAMH service to drive forward change.

“Further to this, we will invest up to £15 million to help clear backlogs in CAMHS and Psychological Therapies waiting lists.

“However we recognise that not all children and young people need specialist services like CAMHS, and so we will also continue to support the expansion of community services at a local level.

“Our £120 million Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund is the single largest investment in mental health in the history of devolution, and shows the priority we are placing on mental health. The Fund will be used to deliver our full agenda for mental health and wellbeing, as set out in our Transition and Recovery Plan.

“This will help to improve access to services across Scotland as well as ensuring good mental wellbeing at a population level, a comprehensive distress response, and the right help and support in our communities. We are carefully considering the potential for other investments over the course of 2021-22, and we will make further announcements in due course.”

Joanna Barrett, Associate head of Policy for the Devolved Nations, NSPCC Scotland, said: “The events of the last year have profoundly impacted the lives of children and young people in Scotland, with some suffering traumatic experiences including bereavement and abuse.

“Following the start of the pandemic last year, we saw a rise in referrals from our adult helpline about child abuse and an increase in contacts to Childline about emotional and mental health. Our counsellors heard from children struggling with loneliness and isolation, worries about education, increased parental stress and abusive home environments. Some young people talked about feeling suicidal.

“So this investment by the Scottish Government to address children and young people’s mental health is crucial for the recovery of our younger generation. But it is important we also remember and support our very youngest and most vulnerable members of society, those under five, whose wellbeing is closely attuned to that of their carers, and who cannot voice the harm they have experienced.”