Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the NHS Long-Term Plan, what progress his Department has made ensuring that 100 per cent of children and young people that require specialist mental health can access those services over the coming decade.

The NHS Long Term Plan sets out how the National Health Service intends to improve services that support children and young people including those who require specialist mental health services. Progress for children and young people’s mental health services is monitored against key measurables such as access and waiting times standards.

From our Green Paper, ‘Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision: a green paper’ we have now launched the first 25 trailblazer sites in England that will provide Mental Health Support Teams, as part of a new school-based service for those with mild to moderate mental health issues.

Twelve of the sites will pilot a four-week waiting time to speed up children and young people’s access to NHS mental health services. In addition, the Department for Education will fund a significant new training programme for Designated Senior Leads for mental health in schools and colleges.

The National Implementation Framework for the NHS Long Term Plan, when published, will provide further information on how the commitments set out for children and young people’s mental health in the Plan will be implemented and monitored.