Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the funding announced for parent and infant mental health in the Spending Review 2021 will be used to close the gaps in provision for children under two in children and young people’s mental health services.

We have announced a £500 million investment to support babies and families, £100 million of which will focus on enhancing parent-infant mental health support. This will help promote the social and emotional development of babies. the social and emotional development of babies. Local areas will decide where this additional support should be allocated, which could form part of children and young people’s mental health services or elsewhere within the early years system such as within family hubs.