NEU comments on PAC report on NHS mental health provision for young people

Commenting on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report Mental health services for children and young people, Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: 

“The PAC report presents a damning picture of the current state of mental health provision for children and young people across the country. As has been pointed out time and again, too many children are not able to access mental health services or face huge waiting times to get treatment. Schools are witnessing the devastating impact this has on their pupils on an ever-increasing basis. 

“We agree that prevention and early intervention initiatives are key to addressing mental health problems amongst children and young people. Schools have a role to play. However, the current funding crisis in education makes it impossible to do so effectively. Cuts to education have decimated the pastoral support that schools can provide and make it increasingly difficult to provide personalised support. The Green Paper on mental health support in schools does not go far enough to fill the gaps and will leave too many children without the necessary support.

“We urge the Government to listen to and address the concerns raised by the PAC and take urgent action to invest in both education and mental health services for children and young people.”