Mental Health

Our key calls for change:

• Prioritise investment in child mental health via prevention, early intervention and crisis services for children.
• Ensure there is a ‘No Wrong door’ and a holistic Children’s Rights Approach to mental health support and services for children.

Background information and introduction to our work

There’s a long history of inadequate prioritisation for children’s mental health in Wales. While recently there has been some progress as new legislation and policy has been introduced, there is still some way to go until every child’s right to the highest standard of mental health is fulfilled in Wales.

We are particularly concerned by Mind Cymru  reporting that: ‘Waiting times for children and young people within local primary mental health support services are significantly longer than adults. The target for 80% of children and young people to receive an assessment within 28 days of a referral was not met in any of the five years to 2021’. Children receiving lesser support as compared to adults regarding mental health services has had a long history.  The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Wales found children are waiting longer than adults for health services more broadly, arguing that spending is skewed against the young.

Children’s mental health is a significant area of concern for CLCW, because it is relevant to all children’s rights issues. We are starting to monitor violations of rights on this issue and are considering opportunities for strategic litigation.