Child and adolescent mental health services under the spotlight
24 January 2014
A National Assembly for Wales Committee will be examining the standards and availability of Child and Adolescent Mental Services (CAMHS) as part of a new inquiry.
The Children, Young People and Education Committee will look at whether services have improved following reforms brought in by the Welsh Government under Breaking the Barriers;
the implementation of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010
; and the 2012 mental health strategy Together for Mental Health
.
The Committee is interested in hearing about:
The availability of early intervention services for children and adolescents with mental health problems;
Access to community specialist CAMHS at tier 2 and above for children and adolescents with mental health problems, including access to psychological therapies;
The extent to which CAMHS are embedded within broader health and social care services;
Whether CAMHS is given sufficient priority within broader mental health and social care services, including the allocation of resources to CAMHS;
Whether there is significant regional variation in access to CAMHS across Wales;
The effectiveness of the arrangements for children and young people with mental health problems who need emergency services;
The extent to which the current provision of CAMHS is promoting safeguarding, children’s rights, and the engagement of children and young people; and
Any other key issues identified by stakeholders.
“It is vital that children and young people with mental health issues have access to high quality care wherever they are in Wales,” said Ann Jones AM, Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee.
“The care they receive should also be integral to other support available through education, health and social care services.
“The Committee will be looking at the standard and availability of these services around Wales to see whether there are any variations and to establish why.
“We will also find out what effect the Welsh Government’s policies, including the implementation of the Mental Health Measure, and its mental health strategy have had on these services.”
Anyone wishing to contribute to the inquiry can either email CYPCommittee@wales.gov.uk or write to:
Clerk to the Children, Young People and Education Committee,
National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF99 1NA
The closing date for submissions is 28 February 2014