We've backed calls for urgent Government reform and investment in children and young people’s mental health services, as new research shows the cost and long-term impact of the impending crisis.

The research, published as part of a new ‘Future Minds’ campaign led by major UK mental health charities1, says that more than one in five children and young people now experience a common mental health problem such as anxiety or depression.

It also reports the number of young people in contact with mental health services has never been higher, and yet around 60% of children considered to have a diagnosable mental health condition have no contact with NHS-funded mental health services.

Benefits of funded school counselling

The research estimates the long-term impact of mental health problems in childhood now costs the UK over £1 trillion in lifetime lost earnings. It also reveals the huge impact this has on the wider economy, children’s education, the care system and parents. It references our evidence, carried out by policy and economics consultancy Public First on behalf of the us and Citizens UK, showing the cost benefits of providing a funded qualified counsellor in every UK school.

Jo Holmes, our Children, Young People and Families Policy Lead, said:

“We agree that the Government must deliver immediate reform and investment to boost children and young people’s mental health services in its forthcoming Spending Review and 10 Year NHS Plan.

“Children and young people’s mental health services continue to be considerably under-funded relative to demand. Millions of families across the country are experiencing the everyday reality of children living with often extreme distress.

Counselling is a lifeline

“We know that access to counselling can be lifeline for many children and young people. Whether this is via counselling services in schools, local third sector organisation (sometimes referred to as ‘hubs’) or via online provision, we know that counselling as an evidence-based intervention helps them cope with the difficult circumstances they face in their lives - and to go on and flourish in the future.

“This Government has an opportunity to be ambitious about young people and their mental health. By acting now, they can make a difference to thousands of children and young people’s lives as well as protect the Government's economic ambitions."

The report calls for:

1. Increase investment with a commitment to close the treatment gap and meet 70% of diagnosable need by the end of this parliament.

2. The full rollout of Mental Health Support Teams across England by the end of this Parliament, with a commitment to adapt the model to meet a broader range of need, including a pathway to funded counselling provision.

3. The delivery of open access early help mental health services for children and young people in every community, initially through the Young Futures programme.

4. A comprehensive children and young people’s mental health workforce plan.

5. An independent Government-commissioned rapid review to examine the causes of the rise in prevalence in children and young people’s mental health, and the ways in which our mental health system can respond better.

6. A long-term commitment to increase local government funding to support investment in prevention and early intervention, restoring the public health grant and youth services spending to 2015/16 levels and addressing the shortfalls in children’s social care spending.

Read about the Future Minds Campaign.

Reference

1 About the Future Minds Campaign. In the face of a major and growing crisis in children and young people’s mental health, four of the UK’s leading children and young people’s and mental health organisations – Centre for Mental Health, the Centre for Young Lives, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition and YoungMinds, with the support of the Prudence Trust – have joined forces to call on the Government to deliver urgent reform and investment, ahead of the major long-term policy decisions that will be taken in the forthcoming Spending Review and 10 Year Plan for Health in England.