Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (): This year, the theme of Children and Young
People's Mental Health week is “This is My Place”,
drawing important attention to children and young people's sense
of belonging and the important role that communities and
community organisations play in supporting their mental health
and wellbeing. As a government, we rightly celebrate the vital
role of community organisations in providing support, compassion,
connection, and hope to children and young people where and when
they need it.
That is why I am pleased to announce that the government is
investing an additional £7 million so that the 24 Early Support
Hubs we are currently funding can continue to operate an expanded
service offer for 2026/27. This means that in total we have
provided more than £20m since April 2024 to ensure that thousands
more children and young people will continue to receive quicker
mental health support and will enable further continuity in the
provision of these services. These Hubs help to prevent mental
ill health while also bringing care closer to home, both
important objectives in our 10 Year Health Plan.
Crucially, this continued investment means that thousands of
children and young people will receive earlier, open-access
mental health and wellbeing support, where any child can
self-refer without an intermediary or prior formal contact. The
hubs will continue to offer mental health support and advice to
young people aged 11-25, and provide continued access to a range
of services which are tailored to local need. This could include
group work, counselling, psychological therapies, specialist
advice, as well as signposting to information and other services.
In addition to the mental health offer of hubs, young people may
also be able to access advice on wider issues including sexual
health, jobs, drugs, alcohol, and financial worries.
Alongside continuing to support the services offered by these 24
hubs, the funding will ensure continued evaluation of the impact
of these services, with early indications suggesting that young
people value the holistic approach of the hubs. The evaluation
has also highlighted the benefits of easily accessible support
for young people, based on interviews with service managers. The
evidence and insights collected through the Early Support Hubs
evaluation, which aims to publish in the Summer, will support the
delivery of Young Futures Hubs, alongside best practice and
learning from other initiatives. This learning will inform our
ambitions for community mental health and wellbeing support for
children and young people, ensuring that they have access to what
they need, as soon as they need it.
