Commenting on the YoungMinds survey of funding cuts
to child and adolescent mental health services, which
is published today, Dr Margaret Murphy, chair of the Royal
College of Psychiatrists’ Faculty of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry, said:
"We are pleased that YoungMinds has
highlighted this really important issue. We are aware that child
and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) are already
increasingly overstretched. Our Members are also concerned that,
with planned reductions in budgets, services will be unable to
provide vital treatment.
"Withdrawing money from services that work
with children and young people who are in the early stages of
developing mental health problems is short-sighted and a false
economy. We know that CAMHS can have a vital role in
preventing the development of more serious longer-term problems,
which are more difficult and more expensive to treat. We are also
very concerned that children, young people and families in distress
will be left without appropriate help and support."
For further information, please
contact:
Liz Leicester
or Deborah Hart in the Communications
Department.
Telephone: 020 7235 2351 Extensions. 6298 or 6127
References:
Download YoungMinds full briefing on cuts to children and young people's mental health services from www.youngminds.org.uk
Note to editors:
YoungMinds is the UK’s leading children’s mental health charity committed to improving the mental health and emotional well-being of children and empowering their parents and carers.