Vulnerable children in shockingly long waits for mental health help

HUNDREDS of vulnerable children in North Wales are being left languishing on waiting lists for access to mental health services, shocking figures reveal.

The number of children waiting more than 14 weeks for psychiatric services in the region has shot up by more than 1,800% in the last two years.

In April 2013, just 20 children were not seen within the time frame at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, but that number has rocketed to 385.

Leading charities blasted the rise as “unacceptable”, adding that 14 weeks is a long time to leave any child waiting for help. Chris Leaman, policy manager at mental health charity YoungMinds, said the wait for services must be “unbearable”.

He said: “We know from parents and carers that children and young people’s mental health is likely to deteriorate during this time, as they grow ever more desperate for help.”

Suicide prevention charity PAPYRUS added that waiting so long could put an already vulnerable young person under even more stress.

Across Wales, the number of children waiting for mental health treatment for longer than 14 weeks has more than quadrupled since 2013. But Betsi saw the biggest increase of any health board in Wales, with figures increasing by almost 20 times in the last two years.

Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams said the figures are “appalling” and, in the worst case scenario, a young person could harm themselves while waiting for treatment.

Ms Williams said children and teenagers were waiting for treatment for things like eating disorders, anxiety, depression, self-harm, the first signs of schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts, and parents just wanted help.

She said: “I think parents are really anxious. I think they don’t know what to do for the best, so they are frightened. They want professional advice so they know the best they can be to support their children.

“In England, the Government has said child mental health services need a ‘complete overhaul’. It’s time the Welsh Labour Government took its head out of the sand and accepted this is the case in Wales too.”

Earlier this week, the Welsh Government announced an extra £7.6m of yearly funding for mental health services to ensure young people receive the right treatment at the right time – in addition to ring-fencing the mental health budget and increasing it from £389m to £587m, the Welsh Government said.

A spokesperson said: “However, in the last four years, we have seen a 100% increase in the number of children and young people referred to CAMHS.

“Services tell us around a third do not have a problem requiring any intervention and are discharged at once; a further third of referrals do not need specialist treatment.

“This high level of unnecessary referrals can delay those children or young people with higher levels of clinical need, who do need to be seen more quickly, from receiving specialist support.”