Babies and Children's Mental Health: The Urgent Need for Investment and Action
Despite growing awareness, mental health services across the UK have suffered from historic underfunding, leading to discrimination and stigma. Waiting lists and limited resources are limiting children's access to help, with over 40% of children and young people waiting over a month for mental health support, according to Young Minds' survey. Shockingly, more than a quarter of young people have attempted suicide while waiting for mental health support.
Although progress is being made, it is not enough to meet the rising needs of children and young people. Positive investment in mental health support teams in schools in England has increased to 287 teams across the nation this year, with more to come. However, to achieve the goal of "ensuring that 100% of children and young people who need specialist care can access it" over the next decade, more focus is needed from governments and ministers.
Policies and investment in mental health do not focus enough on prevention and early intervention, including the importance of social and emotional wellbeing in early childhood, which has a significant impact on future mental health. The recent consultations on the 10-year Mental Health Plan in England and the Mental Health and wellbeing strategy in Scotland are great opportunities for governments to push progress forward.
UNICEF UK’s recent submission for the Mental Health Plan for England emphasised the need for basic services that support the wellbeing of babies and their parents or carers. We must ensure that babies and their parents or carers have access to affordable early education, health visiting, and parent-infant relationship support. As a society, we also need to ensure that every baby, child, or young person and their parent/carers can access the mental health support they need, when they need it.
Improving wellbeing and access to support in schools, communities, and local areas, including through local hubs, is crucial. There is a need to demonstrate cross-government prioritisation of children's mental health by improving the spaces we live in, ensuring financial support is there for families who need it, and including mental health impacts as a key measure for success across policies. Involving children and young people, and parents/carers in meaningful engagement in policy development from the start is also necessary.
These plans present a significant opportunity to improve the lives of babies, children, and young people across the UK and support better mental health for all. Sustainable, long-term, and predictable investment in prevention, services, and support across the NHS, education, and voluntary sectors is crucial.
Nurture Families will continue to work with local systems across Worcestershire and Herefordshire to truly make infant mental health and maternal mental health and wellbeing a priority.
Get in touch today to work with us and our local commissioners.
