‘Ambition is lacking’ on mental health plan

GOVERNMENT PLANS to improve access to mental health care in schools and colleges lack ambition, leaving hundreds of thousands of children without the support they need, MPs have warned.

A joint report by the Commons Education and Health and Social Care committees said the slow pace of the roll-out of the Government’s strategy meant young people in need of help now would miss out.

It said the “narrow scope” of the proposals failed to take account of the needs of vulnerable groups, while they would put “significant pressure” on teaching staff without any guarantee they will receive resources they need.

Under the Government proposals set out in a Green Paper last December, schools and colleges in England are expected to appoint a “designated senior lead” on mental health to co-ordinate support services, and help children access specialist therapies and other NHS treatments.

They will be backed by the creation of new mental health support teams to improve link-ups between schools and the NHS, while setting new targets for waiting times. However, the report said the Government’s “trailblazer” approach, rolling out a series of pilot projects, meant that by 2022/23 it will still only have reached between a fifth and a quarter of the country.

A Government spokeswoman said: “We completely reject any suggestion that our plans lack ambition – these changes will transform mental health services for children and young people, including the first ever waitingtime standards for those with the most serious problems.”