Too many pupils with mental health problems struggle to receive the help they need, a new government-commissioned report has found.

This problem is compounded by the fact that many teachers - as well as other specialists working with children and teenagers - often lack the skills to identify and support mental health needs.

The first phase of a government-commissioned review of mental health services for children and young people in England is released today.

It draws attention to the difficulties many school-aged children face in accessing appropriate support for their mental health needs from a system that is fragmented and varying in quality.

In particular, it highlights the fact that many young people do not receive the care they need when they need it. Public Health England estimates that only 25 per cent of pupils who need treatment for a mental health problem are able to access it.

And the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which carried out the review, heard from one young person who was waiting 18 months for treatment.

Requiring improvement

The CQC also found that this problem has been compounded by the fact that those working with children - including teachers - do not always have the relevant knowledge to identify or support these mental health needs.

It suggests that poor collaboration and communication between different agencies has led to fragmented care and inefficiencies in the system.

Tes has previously reported about the extreme measures that an increasing number of pupils are taking in a desperate effort to reach the threshold required by child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) around the country.

CQC rated 39 per cent of Camhs as “requiring improvement” when it came to providing prompt access to care and treatment. And 2 per cent of services were rated as “inadequate:.

It also found considerable variation in the quality of care between different Camhs provisions.

‘Agonising waits’ 

Paul Lelliott, who leads mental health inspections for CQC, said: “There are many people out there working to make sure that children and young people who experience mental health issues are offered caring support. Their dedication is to be celebrated.

“However, we must also address those times when a child or young person feels let down or not listened to, and make sure the same level of support is available to each and every one of them.”

The findings in the CQC report will inform the government’s Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health, expected to be published before the end of the year.

Responding to the report, Matthew Reed, chief executive of the Children’s Society, called on the government to set maximum waiting times for access to mental health services.

“This report paints an all-too-familiar picture of the shocking state of children’s mental health,” he said. “Vulnerable children in desperate need of help are facing agonising waits for treatment, in many cases without anyone checking in on them to make sure their condition isn’t deteriorating.

 “Poor-quality children’s mental health services cannot be allowed to continue - there is too much at stake.”
 

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