Today, the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) publishes a periodic review that shines a spotlight on the deep‑rooted challenges and barriers facing children and young people’s mental health services, calling for immediate and meaningful action.
The Commissioner, Mr Chris Quinn has outlined that “no child’s mental health service should be making front‑page headlines for the wrong reasons. The fact that it keeps happening is alarming, and it exposes serious system failings that must be confronted now”.
NICCY’s children and young people mental health services review, A System at a Crossroads, has launched during Children’s Mental Health Week. The report shines a light on the current design, state and accessibility of mental health services for children and young people.
This is crucial amid concerns that these vital services remain out of reach for many, and the report asks questions about the operation and direction of strategic planning and delivery of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
The report’s findings show there is a system facing combined pressures of limited policy progression, uncertainty about future delivery, and constrained financial support. It reveals a healthcare system that is at risk of faltering in its duty to provide the best healthcare possible for children and young people, which affects their right to access health as outlined within Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).
A System at a Crossroads highlights systemic issues, especially the need for more investment, planning, monitoring of health and social care services, and direct engagement with children and young people who have been service users. The report’s figures also reveal systematic pressures that children and young
people’s mental health services are facing, including tackling high numbers of Emergency Department referrals; supporting children living with addiction and eating disorders; waiting lists, particularly in seeking first-time appointments, and the corresponding delay in treatment and management this causes.
NICCY supports the health and social care transformation agenda and has provided 31 recommendations to the Department of Health (DoH) in its latest mental health services review. With the support and guidance from children’s rights organisations, the health sector has an opportune moment to establish radical change in system approaches for the benefit of all infants, children, and young people.
Commissioner Chris Quinn said: “The current systemic and systematic issues within children and young people mental health services is to the detriment of their rights, and it cannot continue.
“The current landscape of CAMHS presents a clear argument towards the importance of securing the incorporation of the standards and norms of the UNCRC into domestic law in NI. This would ensure that all children and young people can have timely access to efficient, supportive, and rights-based mental health services.
“The mental health of young people is a priority for our office, and there is a clear need to incorporate a comprehensive and robust child rights-based approach into governmental budgeting processes in NI.”
Systemic issues addressed in the report include the allocation of DoH funding and its dependence on the voluntary sector for support services.
The Commissioner added: “The voluntary and community sector is vital for children and young people to access safe and familiar spaces that build relationships and enhance wellbeing through social connections and support networks.
“Cuts to their funding should not be ignored, especially as our health service greatly relies on them for additional support, particularly in early intervention and prevention – and we have made a number of recommendations, including on the need for a fund mapping exercise to take place.”
A System at a Crossroads shares children and young people’s feelings of not being heard or seen when entering services, and incidents of mental distress, the need for emotional health and wellbeing support, and the anxiety of waiting on access to services.
This year’s Children’s Mental Health Week theme, ‘This is My Place’, encourages children and young to explore where they feel they belong, aiming to ensure no child faces mental health issues alone. NICCY supports this and encourages children to share any concerns they may have with a trusted adult, relevant support services, or their GP.
NICCY will also continue working with relevant authorities and decision makers to ensure that children and young people are involved in the choices relevant to their care and that a UNCRC rights focused healthcare system is within their reach.
