Today, the government has published proposals to improve mental health support for children and young people in England. Responding to the proposals, Denise Hatton, Chief Executive for YMCA England & Wales, said:
“The release of the government’s Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health is positive news for an area crying out for support. The details of the announcement are a good first step but much more will be needed if children and young people are to truly benefit from an enhanced and robust mental health service.
“It is pleasing that early intervention solutions such as designated mental health leads in schools and specific awareness training for primary and secondary have been included. YMCA has consistently advocated that early intervention is key, with schools and youth clubs the right settings for these to take place.
“As children and young people have been repeatedly let down when seeking help, our hope would be that any recommendations coming out of the consultation would be implemented with haste. YMCA looks forward to seeing the outcomes of the proposed pilots and contributing to the consultation.”