Children’s Mental Health Week: Non-statutory mental health support waiting times reach “unsustainable levels”
Demand for non-statutory mental health support for children has reached unsustainable levels, with waiting times reaching almost a year.
Response – Oxfordshire’s largest independent mental health charity – revealed children referred to its youth support services in February could be waiting until 2027 to receive the help required.
The shocking revelation coincides with Children’s Mental Health Week, and comes four months after Response cut the ribbon on a dedicated youth wellbeing hub in Thatcham, Berkshire, to reduce NHS waiting times and relieve pressure on local schools.
The Hub is already operating to full capacity, which has led the charity to up its calls for external funding so it can recruit a second youth wellbeing worker and cut down its own waiting times.
It comes at a time where figures from NHS England show 39 per cent of children have their referrals to statutory mental health services closed before they are able to access help, and 40,000 children currently wait more than two years to receive statutory support.
Jamie Douglas, Associate Director of Children, Young People and Families at Response, said the picture locally and nationally is worsening year-on-year.
“Already, we have a waiting list of young people who we won’t be able to see for months – potentially up to a year,” said Jamie.
“This is due to a rise in demand from young people waiting for statutory help.
“It is our responsibility as a charity to attend to those who are waiting on statutory support, or have been turned away. But even our waiting list has reached an unsustainable level.
“There is a requirement locally to add capacity to our youth services, either through grant or government funding.
“With additional funding, we can recruit a second youth worker – which would be the difference between providing young people with the immediate support they require and leaving them waiting.”
Based in Littlemore but operating across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, we work with children aged 11 upwards and provides support and specialist care to those living with mental health challenges.
The charity currently signposts children and their families on its waiting list to free online guides, which offer practical support solutions at home to help children feel safe and understood.
Jamie added: “It’s a very uncertain world to live in, and children do feel pressure from that.
“The most prevalent issue we see in young people is anxiety.
“School can be a stressful environment with exam pressures, and there is a hangover from those who returned to full-time education following shutdowns caused by the pandemic.
“It’s critical we work with parents and carers too, as in almost all cases children are powerless and rely on their seniors to help them get the support required. Providing them with the necessary guidance and knowledge during a time when it might feel like the door is being closed in front of their face multiple times is essential while we source a permanent solution to address the root cause.”
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Challenge 28 - get involved this February!
We have also launched Challenge 28 in February, where participants are asked to complete 28 miles during the month in a way that works for them.
It comes after figures from the Children’s Commissioner found 28% of children and young people who were referred to statutory mental health services in 2022 and 2023 were still waiting for support a year later.
Participants are challenged to complete 28 miles across February, at a pace and in a way that suits them, whether spread across the month or done all at once.
