Mental-health support for young ‘is stretched’

Deputy Kevin Pamplin. Picture: JON GUEGAN

Deputy Kevin Pamplin said that the Island’s mental-health services had ‘staggered and stumbled’ through the past few years, and that another review – similar to the 2018 report by the Health and Social Security Panel – would take place later this year.

Meanwhile, waiting times for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service have returned to the levels seen in early 2020 – which averaged 12 weeks from referral to treatment – with extra staff brought in to help deal with a rise in demand for mental-health support.

‘Young people’s day-to-day lives, like all of ours, were completely upended with the closure of schools and with the pandemic, and that has disrupted their support network – so the limited things that are available completely got stretched,’ said Deputy Pamplin. ‘That’s not good enough and we need to have something available when young people need it and that obviously needs investment – we need to lift the lid up and look at what’s happening.

‘Surely we can do better, so that’s why we are coming back to the mental-health review. We will be picking that up in May and we will be doing what we did last time, but I think more of our focus will be around young people and care. Much like the last report we will lay it all bare.’

Education Minister Jeremy Maçon said that the demand for mental-health resources such as CAMHS had increased over the past five years, and that this had been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.

‘To deal with this, we have introduced additional CAMHS staff; set up the Children and Families Hub which provides advice, information and is the front door to services; and commissioned Kooth (online counselling and support),’ he said.

‘However, we are keenly aware that the demand for mental-health support will continue to grow.

‘That is why we are developing a mental-health strategy for children and young people which will ensure that everyone is supported to have good mental health.

‘The Government of Jersey is investing in a wider range of services, from early-intervention support through to crisis and out-of-hours care. The draft strategy will be open for consultation in March.’

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