One in three areas cutting early mental health help for children

More than a third of local areas are cutting spending on early help for children and young people with mental health problems, according to analysis by the children’s commissioner for England. While overall investment on “low-level” mental health provision increased by 16 per cent nationally in 2018/19 on the previous year, 37 per cent of areas are spending less on such services, according to the Early access to mental health support report. The study, which gathered data from freedom of information requests sent to every clinical commissioning group (CCG), director of children’s services and director of public health in England, asked about non-specialist help that does not need a referral, such as that provided by school nurses and in children’s centres. The report claims that this “postcode lottery” is “very concerning” for young people in need of children’s early and preventative help for their emotional wellbeing and resilience. Read more.