Children First is an online resource for professionals working with children presented by WillisPalmer, providing you with the latest news, features and interviews.
Subscribe TodayBarnardo’s is calling on the government to ensure that some of the £1.4bn promised to improve children’s mental health is used to support vulnerable care leavers.
The children’s charity has raised concerns about the unmet needs of care leavers with mental health problems in a report ‘Neglected Minds’.
The report highlights how two thirds of care leavers identified as having mental health needs were not receiving any help from a statutory service. The research suggests that almost half of the 26,340 care leavers in England may be experiencing mental health problems.
One in four care leavers had faced a mental health crisis since leaving care, the report warned.
Barnardo’s Chief Executive, Javed Khan said: “Our research shows a shocking picture of care leavers in need with no access to suitable mental health support. Young people who have been in care often experience poor mental health ranging from anxiety to serious problems following abuse or neglect. The Government must ensure these vulnerable young people receive the support they so desperately need when it honours its pledge to improve children’s mental health.”
The research also highlighted that often people working with care leavers have insufficient knowledge about mental health and are therefore ill-placed to help support care leavers. The services that are available can often be inflexible, according to the charity, for example with cut off points at age 18. Disturbingly, Barnardo’s workers reported a number of cases where they were unable to access support for a young person despite incidents of self-harm and suicide attempts.
The children’s charity wants clinical commissioning groups to invest more in services specifically aimed at meeting the needs of young people leaving care. This could include embedding a mental health worker within leaving care teams or developing youth specific services for people into their early 20s.
In addition, those working with care leavers need better skills to help identify and support young care leavers experiencing mental health problems.
Government launches tackling violence against women and girls strategy
A new government strategy to ensure women and girls are safe everywhere has been launched by Home Secretary Priti Patel.
The strategy sets out a clear ambition to increase support for victims and survivors, increase the number of perpetrators brought to justice and to reduce the prevalence of violence against women and girls in the [...]
Spending on early help services halves in decade
Spending on early intervention for services has halved over the last 10 years, charities have warned.
Between 2010 and 2020, local authorities in England reduced spending on early intervention services from £3.6bn to £1.8bn, analysis of council budgets by a group of leading children’s charities has revealed.
The most deprived local authorities in the UK reduced early [...]
Cafcass introduces revised working arrangements following rise in private law cases
Cafcass has introduced some revised arrangements for managing unsustainable caseloads.
The process has been implemented in the Cafcass areas covering Birmingham, the Black Country, Shropshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Herefordshire family courts due to unsustainable pressures on the family justice system in the area.
Cafcass Chief Executive, Jacky Tiotto said: “I have said publicly before that any [...]
A Mackman Group collaboration - market research by Mackman Research | website design by Mackman
