SAMH response to CYP Task Force recommendations

4th July 2019

Today (4 July 2019) the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Task Force published a set of recommendations to the Scottish Government and COSLA, which can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/children-young-peoples-mental-health-task-force-recommendations/pages/1/

In response, Graeme Henderson, Director of Delivery and Strategic Development at SAMH, said

“We broadly welcome these recommendations, which draw on the expertise and insight of Taskforce members. We would like to see these implemented alongside the 29 recommendations that were accepted by Scottish Government a year ago, following the Audit of Rejected Referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This was the first in a series of reports that identified serious flaws in the services and supports for young people’s mental health, including the CAMHS system. We can’t wait any longer for action:  young people need to be able to get help quickly. In particular, we urgently need to see delivery of  the community mental wellbeing services for 5-24 year olds that were promised in the 2018-19 Programme for Government”.