Home / Sources / Select Committees / Health and Social Care Commit… / Children and young people's mental heal…
Index live
Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee

Children and young people's mental health

Status: Closed Opened: 29 Jan 2021 Closed: 11 May 2022 32 recommendations 8 conclusions 1 report

The Committee is undertaking an inquiry into Children and Young People’s Mental Health. The inquiry will examine the progress that has been made by Government against their own ambitions to improve children and young people’s mental health provision. We will also consider whether the system should be reformed toward a more holistic approach that prioritises … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Eighth Report - Children and young people’s mental health HC 17 9 Dec 2021 40 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
28 Recommendation Eighth Report - Children and young peop… Accepted

In order to achieve this shift towards community-based care, every area should have a community...

In order to achieve this shift towards community-based care, every area should have a community service for children in crisis which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A clear map is needed of where current gaps in this provision are and a plan should be in … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation, referencing the NHS Long Term Plan commitment to 24/7 crisis care for children and young people by 2023/24, with a single point of access and four defined functions of a comprehensive crisis service. They are also developing an action plan …
Read full response →
Department of Health and Social Care
30 Recommendation Eighth Report - Children and young peop… Accepted

It is disappointing that the Government’s 2021 Mental Health White Paper leaves expanding the legal...

It is disappointing that the Government’s 2021 Mental Health White Paper leaves expanding the legal right to support from an advocate to all children and young people subject to future funding availability. There is a compelling case that Independent Mental Health Advocates have a valuable role in helping inpatient children … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation and plans to expand eligibility for Independent Mental Health Advocate services to informal patients, including children and young people, as part of Mental Health Act reforms, though this is subject to future funding decisions.
Read full response →
Department of Health and Social Care
32 Conclusion Eighth Report - Children and young peop… Accepted

We welcome the Government’s commitment to reducing the use of seclusion, segregation and restraint for...

We welcome the Government’s commitment to reducing the use of seclusion, segregation and restraint for children and young people in inpatient units and the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act in particular. However, we have heard that 60 Children and young people’s mental health restrictive interventions, and particularly restraint, … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states it is considering the recommendation but then details existing programmes of work to reduce restrictive practices, including a Quality Improvement Taskforce and collaboration with the Restraint Reduction Network, as well as quoting current guidance against prone restraint, indicating current efforts address the …
Read full response →
Department of Health and Social Care
34 Recommendation Eighth Report - Children and young peop… Accepted

It is vitally important to be able to monitor the experiences of children and young...

It is vitally important to be able to monitor the experiences of children and young people in inpatient care, particularly how often restraint is used in each setting and whether there is appropriate access to advocacy. This is key to ensuring individuals in inpatient care are receiving quality support and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation, stating that a single data set is now in place, collecting information from all NHS and private sector services and allowing for analysis at provider and ward level to improve data quality.
Read full response →
Department of Health and Social Care
35 Recommendation Eighth Report - Children and young peop… Accepted

In addition to the recommendations on data we set out in our report on the...

In addition to the recommendations on data we set out in our report on the treatment of autistic people and people with learning disabilities, we further recommend that NHS England and Improvement regularly collect and publish high quality data including from private sector providers on: • the basis of children … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation and states that a single data set already collects and analyses all the requested information from both NHS and private sector services, making this action already underway.
Read full response →
Department of Health and Social Care

Oral evidence sessions

4 sessions
Date Witnesses
22 Jun 2021 Claire Murdoch · NHS England, Ms Nadine Dorries · Department of Health and Social Care, Professor Tim Kendall · NHS England View ↗
25 May 2021 Bernadka Dubicka · Royal College of Psychiatrists, Helen Whately MP · Department of Health and Social Care, Julie Bentley · Samaritans, Kamena Dorling · Article 39, Louis Appleby · University of Manchester, Mark Rowland · Mental Health Foundation, Saffron Cordery · NHS Providers, Steve Mallen · Zero Suicide Alliance, Tom Surrey · Department of Health and Social Care View ↗
20 Apr 2021 Cassandra Harrison · Youth Access, Dr Aleisha Clarke · Early Intervention Foundation, Hope, Easting Disorder advocate, Lucas · Young Minds, Professor Pat McGorry · University of Melbourne, Professor Peter Fonagy · University College London, Shanti Johnson · Maple Primary School, St Albans, Tim Bowen · Maple Primary School, St Albans View ↗
23 Mar 2021 Claire Murdoch · NHS England, Dame Rachel de Souza · Inspiration Trust, Emma Thomas · Young Minds, Lynne Green · Kooth, Martin Lennon · Flood Re, Sophie Corlett · Mind, Tim Kendall · NHS England and NHS Improvement View ↗

Who gave evidence

26 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Claire Murdoch · National Director for Mental Health NHS England 2
Bernadka Dubicka · Chair of the Children and young people’s faculty Royal College of Psychiatrists 1
Cassandra Harrison · Chief Executive Officer Youth Access 1
Dame Rachel de Souza · Chief Executive Inspiration Trust 1
Dr Aleisha Clarke · Head of Child Mental Health and Wellbeing Early Intervention Foundation 1
Emma Thomas · Chief Executive Young Minds 1
Helen Whately MP · Minister of State Department of Health and Social Care 1
Hope, Easting Disorder advocate — 1
Julie Bentley · CEO Samaritans 1
Kamena Dorling · Head of Policy and Advocacy Article 39 1
Louis Appleby · Professor of Psychiatry and National Confidential… University of Manchester 1
Lucas · Activist Young Minds 1
Lynne Green · Chief Clinical Officer Kooth 1
Mark Rowland · CEO and member of National Suicide Prevention Str… Mental Health Foundation 1
Martin Lennon · Director of Policy Flood Re 1
Ms Nadine Dorries · Minister of State for Mental Health, Suicide Prev… Department of Health and Social Care 1
Professor Pat McGorry · Professor of Youth and Mental Health University of Melbourne 1
Professor Peter Fonagy · Head of the Division of Psychology and Language S… University College London 1
Professor Tim Kendall · National Clinical Director for Mental Health NHS England 1
Saffron Cordery · Interim Chief-Executive NHS Providers 1
Shanti Johnson · Deputy Head Maple Primary School, St Albans 1
Sophie Corlett · Director of External Affairs Mind 1
Steve Mallen · Co-founder Zero Suicide Alliance 1
Tim Bowen · Head Maple Primary School, St Albans 1
Tim Kendall · National Clinical Director for Mental Health NHS England and NHS Improvement 1
Tom Surrey · Director of Adult Social Care Policy Department of Health and Social Care 1

Correspondence

9 letters
DateDirectionTitle
26 Apr 2022 — Correspondence from the Minister of State for Care and Mental Health on Childre…
17 Mar 2022 — Correspondence to the Chair of the Liaison Committee on the Government's Respon…
17 Mar 2022 — Correspondence to the Secretary of State on the Government's Response to the Co…
30 Nov 2021 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State on mental health services dated 18.11.21
7 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from Nadine Dorries to the Chair following up from 22 June evidence sess…
7 Sep 2021 To cttee Letter from Claire Murdoch and Tim Kendall to the Chair following up from 22 Ju…
7 Sep 2021 — Children and young people's mental health roundtable transcript, dated 17.05.21
29 Jun 2021 To cttee Letter from the Chief Executive of the Samaritans on the issue of online harms
18 May 2021 To cttee Letter from the National Mental Health Director and National Clinical Director …