Our Response to the Youth Select Committee's report on mental health

The Youth Select Committee has today published its report “Young People’s Mental Health”.

The Youth Select Committee gathered evidence from a range of witnesses including from Healthwatch network.

The report concludes that mental health services for young people are critically underfunded and that much work is needed to break down the stigma associated with mental health problems.

Responding to the report, our Chair, Anna Bradley, said:

"We gave evidence to the Select Committee earlier this year on the basis of what we have heard from Healthwatch in all four corners of the country - that children and young people's mental health is in dire need of improvement.

"From the need to train GPs on young people's mental health to the crucial role of schools in raising mental health awareness, our network's findings echo those of the Youth Select Committee's. Young people also told us about long waits for access to mental health services, with people having to be in crisis in order to get a referral, and poor transitions from services for children and young people to adult psychiatric services.

“We want to see services engaging with children, young people, parents and carers to ensure services are designed with and around the needs of the people who use them. Healthwatch England and the Healthwatch network will continue to inform national decision makers about the way in which young people are engaged and to encourage better involvement of young people where needed."