Crisis in Mental Health Services for Young People

As reported in the Observer on Sunday, a survey of 300 GPs in England has said that care for children with mental health problems is ‘woefully inadequate’.

Young people with anxiety and depression are missing out on treatment because there is rationing of care and they are not considered to be priorities. Even young people who are self-harming sometimes have to wait months to be seen ‘with risks to their health and well-being’ (Norman Lamb Mental Health Minister in the Coalition Government).

This is at a time when more young people are experiencing mental health problems as a result of family breakdown, increased pressure in schools and worries about the cost of higher education. According to the survey conducted by the charity Stem4, one GP said that ‘young mental health problems are a time bomb waiting to explode.’

Here at BYHP we are aware of the pressures faced by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) with increased demand and consequent longer waiting times. NHS England has promised an extra £1.4 billion nationally to support Mental Health Services for young people, but this will take some time to feed through. We have 2 qualified Counsellors and one Trainee Counsellor here at BYHP and at present we see 8 clients aged between 13 and 25 years.

We are currently developing our service and can receive referrals from schools, Social Care, CAMHS and from young people themselves and their families.

If you feel you or someone you know could benefit from a trained counsellor’s help please contact us for more information or to book an appointment

01295 259 442
2 Chandos Close, Banbury, Oxfordshire, OX16 4TL
counselling@byhp.org.uk

Ros Jones MBACP - Wellbeing Practitioner