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Prime Minister pledges to improve Child Mental Health Services – Welcome news for foster children

Thursday 12 January 2017

Plans to “transform” attitudes to mental health, with a focus on children and young people, have been announced by Theresa May.

Additional training for teachers, an extra £15m for community care, and improved support in the workplace were among measures announced by the PM.

Mental health experts said more funding was needed to improve services.

Mrs May’s speech comes as she outlined her plans to use the state to create a “shared society”.

The government says one in four people has a mental disorder at some point in their life, with an annual cost of £105bn.

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Figures show young people are affected disproportionately with over half of mental health problems starting by the age of 14 and 75% by 18.

The prime minister said mental health had been “dangerously disregarded” as secondary to physical health and changing that would go “right to the heart
of our humanity”.

In the speech at the Charity Commission, Mrs May announced:

  • Every secondary school to be offered mental health first aid training – which teaches people how to identify
    symptoms and help people who may be developing a mental health issue
  • Trials on strengthening links between schools and NHS specialist staff, including a review of children and adolescent services across the country
  • By 2021, no child will be sent away from their local area to receive treatment for mental health issues
  • More focus on community care such as crisis cafes and local clinics, with an extra £15m towards this, and less emphasis on patients visiting GPs and
    A&E

 

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