Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

(asked on 14th December 2015) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms are in place to enable priority access to child and adolescent mental health services for (a) all vulnerable groups of young people and (b) victims of abuse in cases of urgent need.


Answered by
Alistair Burt Portrait
Alistair Burt
This question was answered on 18th December 2015

Access to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) is based on the clinical assessment of each individual’s needs and as such there are generally no mechanisms in place that enable priority access to CAMHS for specific groups. We recognise that some children and young people who have particular vulnerabilities may be more likely to develop mental health problems.


The local transformation planning process, currently being implemented by clinical commissioning group across England, covers the full spectrum of services for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing including how the needs of vulnerable groups of young people, such as those who are victims of child sexual abuse and exploitation, will be met. Local services will then be developed accordingly.

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