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Mental Health Services: Children

Question for Department for Education

UIN HL2018, tabled on 13 October 2014

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of how schools have used Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services guidelines for responding to the mental health needs of children and adolescents.

Answered on

21 October 2014

The Department for Education does not specifically monitor the use of guidance by schools, which will vary according to the needs of their pupils and how Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are organised locally.

In June we published advice on behaviour and mental health in schools.[1] This is intended to help schools support all pupils’ mental health and wellbeing so that they can succeed in school. It provides case studies, information and links to organisations that can be approached for advice on providing support and making referrals to specialist services. These sources of advice include relevant National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidelines and the new Mind Ed e-portal funded by the Department of Health.[2] MindEd was launched in March 2014 to provide training and information on mental health for all adults working with children and young people.

The new Government task force on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing includes members from schools and will look at the issues around responding effectively to mental health needs and access to CAMHS.

[1] www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-behaviour-in-schools--2

[2] www.minded.org.uk