Mental health services for children neglected in dire times

As reported by The Guardian, the mental health support provided by the NHS is neglecting the youth in their most needed times

“I have worked with young people for 25 years – it’s galling to see them bounced between overworked departments because their diagnosis doesn’t fit” says clinical psychologist Dr. Tara Porter.

A recent report by Commissioning Young Lives brought to attention the inaccessibility of mental health services for young people. The services were said to be clinical and unsuitable for dealing with the sensitivity of adolescent mental health in their period of tumultuous change.

Usually, the adolescent’s mental state is rapidly compartmentalised under labels such as anxiety or depression, which is then used as a measure of qualification to gain entry into the CAMHS. Due to the lack of resources available, the state of the patient’s mental health is filtered through in terms of severity. Those not considered to be in a dire situation do not receive support.

Porter highlights a problematic employment process which inhibits proper care for the mental health of the youth. Due to the staggering numbers of overworked staff, new graduates with minimal experience are hired and utilise the role as a stepping stone before moving on to better paying roles.

Unlike adults, adolescents receiving treatment often require longer periods of time to ease into an environment where they feel safe enough to share their troubles. If the mental health practitioner allocated to them is unable to maintain a stable connection to the young patient, they are unable to build a trusting relationship to encourage treatment.

Pre-COVID numbers were already cause for major concern with 1 in 6 children suffering from mental health conditions in 2020 as reported by Young Minds, signalling an urgent call for the government to prioritise mental health in the youth.

“We need a distress-led service, rather than a diagnosis-led service. We need services, both for mental health and in the community, which prioritise long-term care, not short-term repair, and government policy that is mindful of the mental health of the next generation. We must tackle the root of young people’s problems, not just their symptoms,” suggests Porter.