Findings from Education Policy Institute research on children and young people’s mental health were put to minister Lord Nash today, in a question concerning counselling services in schools.
Opening with an enquiry into the number of secondary schools in England that do not provide counselling services, Lord Oates proceeded to ask whether the government was able “to review the criteria used by CAMHS in assessing mental health service referrals”, following figures published in the Education Policy Institute’s report ‘Children and Young People’s Mental Health: State of the Nation‘.
The report, one of three major pieces of EPI research on children and young people’s mental health, found that services on average turn away nearly a quarter (23%) of children and teenagers referred to them by schools, GPs and others.
In response, the under-secretary of state for schools declared that a review, to be conducted with the Department of Health, was underway – “in order to identify areas for improvement”. Lord Nash also stated that every clinical commissioning group (CCG) has been asked to submit plans for improving the provision of child and adolescent mental health services.
You can read the debate in full here.
More information on the EPI’s work on children and young people’s mental health can be found here.
See also:
Comment – Emily Frith: ‘The Prime Minister’s Speech On Mental Health Is A Step In The Right Direction‘, The Huffington Post
News – ‘Education Policy Institute responds to Prime Minister’s speech on mental health‘
Parliament – ‘Minister commends work of EPI Commission in mental health in schools debate‘
Report – ‘Children and Young People’s Mental Health: Time to Deliver‘:
