19 November 2008
In response to the release of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Review by the Department for Children Schools and Families and the Department of Health, Simon Lawton Smith, Head of Policy at the Mental Health Foundation, said:
Nothing new
“This review, by its own admission, suggests no new policy, and makes no major suggestions for structural changes to CAMHS or Children’s Trusts. It is primarily a plea to implement existing policy. The key question is therefore whether the review’s recommendations will achieve this, given the patchy implementation of CAMHS around the country and current funding pressures.”
New board needs teeth
“A National Advisory Council on Children's Psychological Wellbeing & Mental Health could help speed things up. But it will only have an impact if it is given some teeth and can hold the government properly to account. We also need to know what powers it will have over local areas that are slow to commission comprehensive CAMHS.
“Strengthening the national support programme can also be welcomed in principle, but we would want assurances about the level of resources that are available for an expansion of this work.”
Unrealistic expectations
“Following this review, we expect the welcome, if slow, improvement to CAMHS to continue. However, we are not convinced the review will necessarily meet the Health Secretary’s expectation of a dramatic improvement in CAMHS services in the next 12 months.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The purpose of the CAMHS Review was to investigate:
(i) What progress has been made, since the launch of Standard 9 of the Children’s National Service Framework and the publication of Every Child Matters in 2004, in delivering services to meet the educational, health and social care needs of children and young people at risk of and experiencing mental health problems (including those with complex, severe and persistent needs)?
(ii) What practical solutions can those developing policy and delivering, managing and commissioning services use to address current challenges and deliver better outcomes for children and young people with mental health problems? And how can these solutions be monitored?
The National Service Framework for Children (NSF), Young People and Maternity Services was launched in 2004, a ten year policy document describing what services and support children and young people should be able to expect. Standard 9 of the NSF addressed the mental health and psychological wellbeing of children and young people.
A key recommendation of the review is the setting up of a National Advisory Council on Children's Psychological Wellbeing & Mental Health to oversee the delivery of mental health services to children and young people.
Bright Futures: Promoting Children and Young People's Mental Health, a 1999 report from the Mental Health Foundation, recommended that a Standing Commission (Advisory Committee) on the Emotional and Mental Health of Children and Young People should be established to provide national leadership to oversee the production and implementation of the national framework and to develop a framework for cross-professional training.
For further information, please contact Simon Loveland on 020 7803 1130 or email sloveland@mhf.org.uk
The Mental Health Foundation uses research and practical projects to help people survive, recover from and prevent mental health problems. We work to influence policy, including government at the highest levels. And we use our knowledge to raise awareness and to help tackle the stigma attached to mental illness. We reach millions of people every year through our media work, information booklets and online services. www.mentalhealth.org.uk
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