Mind responds to Spending Review - "missed opportunity" for investing in young people's mental health
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her Comprehensive Spending Review, laying out where the UK government intends to invest in the coming years.
Responding to the Spending Review, Jemima Olchawski, Executive Director of Social Change at Mind, said:
"Investment in young people’s mental health builds healthier, more prosperous societies and boosts economies. With 1 in 5 young people in England now reaching the clinical threshold for a mental health problem, the need for government to urgently invest in young people’s mental health is pressing. Today was a missed opportunity by the Chancellor.
"We know mental health problems are treatable, especially when caught early. We know that young people with mental health problems overwhelmingly want to work if their mental health allowed. But we also know 25% of young people on mental health waiting lists have been waiting for over 2 years.
"We warmly welcome the progress made in this area, with the investment in Mental Health Support Teams in schools. But there is more to do. It’s time for an overhaul of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, so no young person has to wait for treatment. It’s time for the government to set out how it will roll out the network of early support hubs it has committed to. It’s time to make sure young people get the support they need in classrooms, in mental health services and in their communities.
"We’re going through the detail of the Spending Review and hope we find more that will help build the foundations for the future we all want to see. Investing in young people’s mental health is a chance to change lives – and the nation’s future."
