“This report shines a much-needed spotlight on the crisis in children’s mental health. It’s deeply frustrating that so many pupils still do not have access to mental health support teams, despite it being seven years since this initiative was set out in the government’s green paper on children’s mental health. The same green paper talked about trialling a four-week waiting time for access to NHS treatment for children requiring specialist support, but there are in fact still very long waiting lists in many areas, and this ambition is still nowhere near becoming reality.
“The problem of deteriorating mental health has been recognised for some time, and it’s shameful that so little progress has been made towards addressing it. This report lays out several practical steps that will help, and it’s now incumbent on the government to act urgently to ensure all children and young people get the support they need.”