Question reference: S5W-13937
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 18 January 2018
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Current status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 26 January 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what new initiatives are being considered to support vulnerable children with mental health issues, in light of the reported decrease in the budget for child and adolescent mental health services.
Answer
All children and young people have the right to be cared for, protected from harm, and to grow up in a safe environment in which their rights and needs are respected. We expect all children and young people to have their needs met by the mental health system, and the improvements we want to see made to the CAMHS system must take into account the needs of particularly vulnerable groups. The Scottish Government has invested £15 million to support better access to CAMHS and innovation, and we have indicated in our draft budget for 2018-19 an increase for Mental Health Innovation and Improvement of £17 million – this includes money for the transformation of CAMHS.
There is a focus on vulnerable children and young people in the Mental Health Strategy, with specific Actions supporting that focus, including:
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Action 5 - Ensure the care pathway includes mental and emotional health and wellbeing, for young people on the edges of, and in, secure care.
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Action 6 - Determine and implement the additional support needed for practitioners assessing and managing complex needs among children who present a high risk to themselves or others.
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Action 7 - Support an increase in support for the mental health needs of young offenders, including on issues such as trauma and bereavement.
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Action 20 - Scope the required level of highly specialist mental health inpatient services for young people, and act on its findings.