Response to Government announcement of new Advisory Council on Children’s Mental Health and Psychological Well-being

The British Psychological Society has issued the following statements in response to the Government announcement today (18 November).

The British Psychological Society strongly welcomes the announcement today of planned major investment in mental health care and related services for children and young people.

Professor Peter Kinderman, Chair of the Society's Standing Committee for Psychologists in Health and Social Care, said: "The Society has consistently called for this kind of investment in our young people. Addressing the social and psychological health of the next generation will not only help prevent future mental health and social problems, but also helps safeguard the parents, educators and workers of the next generation.

‘This announcement is excellent news. This is exactly what I would hope a responsive Government would do. I’m sure that applied psychologists, who provide many of these services, will help in whatever ways we can".

Dr Paul Wallis, Chair of the Society’s Faculty for Children and Young People added: "We welcome this focus on the psychological well-being of young people, and the development of unified Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) that are timely, accessible, consistent, and responsive and which also include users and carers in their development.

‘Investment which signals a move towards more coherent, organised and nationally agreed standards for CAMHS is long overdue. There is an urgent need for greater education and skills training regarding the understanding and early identification of psychological difficulties for young people and their families. CAMHS services need to cover the age range of children and young people from early years, schools and transitional services. They also need to ensure delivery to children, young people and families/carers, who may have complex additional needs. I’m sure that our membership will continue working to promote these aims".

For more details of the government announcement go to: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0260

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mediacentre@bps.org.uk or tel: 0116 252 9500

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