I chose to raise this issue following meetings with a number of local families who have contacted me in the past 6 months to ask for help. They have experienced difficulties in getting the correct assessment and support for their children who are suffering from mental illnesses including depression, anxiety and eating disorders. Whilst most of the families found their GPs to be caring and supportive, they considered that the onward referral within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service has been slow and insufficient.

I met a number of local young people who have been greatly helped by the local CAMHS service, however I am worried that there are local families who feel let down and unsupported in the early stages of seeking help for their children.

During Prime Minister’s questions I specifically asked the Prime Minister “Last Friday, I made separate visits to three families, all of whom have a child suffering from acute mental health difficulties that the families felt had not been adequately assessed at the early stages by child and adolescent mental health services. Colleagues from across the Chamber will be all too familiar with such visits. I welcome the Prime Minister’s recent commitment to reform mental health provision for young people. Will he consider reviewing the provision of initial stage treatment and continue to be the champion for these vulnerable and brave children?”

In response the Prime Minister said “Children and young people’s mental health is a priority for the Government. I think we can all agree across this House that for many years this area has not had adequate attention or adequate investment. I would highlight in particular the problems of psychosis, sometimes caused by drug use. I would also raise the huge problem of eating disorders; we are seeing a rapid increase in the number of people suffering. We have gone a long way in increasing the number of talking therapies. Something like 740,000 more people are accessing those therapies than when the Government came into office. We recognise that there is more to be done and that is why we are investing £1.4 billion in system-wide transformation across child and adolescent mental health services.”

I was glad to hear the Prime Minister recognises that young people’s mental health services have suffered from underinvestment and that plans are in place to better help vulnerable young people. I will be arranging to meet our local CAMHS team in the near future to discuss the cases that have been brought to my attention and to find out how they can improve the initial contact that families have when they are referred to CAMHS.

Please see the attached video of Huw asking his question to the Prime Minister at PMQs

http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/cfb6f90e-444e-4cd6-bfaf-0e1cdfb0e294?in=12:26:50&out=12:28:10