The Lightning Review research released by the Children’s Commissioner highlights the stark reality faced by young people trying to access mental health services across the country.
Throughout YMCA’s conversations and research, young people have consistently told us that accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) takes far too long and that, when they do reach the service, it lacks the vital support they need.
Denise Hatton, Chief Executive of YMCA England, the national council of YMCAs in England and Wales, said: “We have finally begun to overcome the stigma around poor mental health, with young people more confident in speaking up and asking for support.
“However, what this report shows is that when young people do seek help, they are turned away by GPs and only asked to come back when things are worse.
“Without doubt, early intervention is the key to supporting young people who face mental health challenges but the NHS’s current strategy could not be further from this.
“To meet the needs of young people, we need to remodel mental health services away from a medical and clinic-based model and encourage more community and outreach services.”
YMCAs across England and Wales currently run a number of early intervention mental health services for young people.
At YMCA West Kent, the Talk2Us service provides free, confidential counselling to young people aged 13 to 26-years-old while YMCA Cambridgeshire and Peterborough operates its own counselling services within schools.