Coalition fears pandemic is making a bad situation worse

Scotland’s children are facing a “mental health emergency” according to new data.

Figures show more than 1,000 children and young people have been waiting more than a year for mental health treatment.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading independent and third sector providers of children’s services, has called on the Scottish Government to redouble its efforts and for a “national crusade” to tackle this emergency as the number of referrals return to pre-lockdown levels.

It has also backed calls by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland that £145 million from additional £1.1 billion covid-19 funding granted in the autumn be applied to mental health services.

A spokesperson for the SCSC said: “These latest figures are deeply troubling and point to a highly challenging environment for both our young people and our mental health services.

“While referrals are beginning to return to pre-lockdown levels, it is vital that children and families are provided with the support they so desperately need, especially given the impact of the pandemic on mental health. The fact that more than 1,000 of our most vulnerable children have been waiting more than a year for treatment in this respect is deeply troubling.

“We would urge the Scottish Government to look to not just the NHS, but the third sector and other independent organisations to play a key role in this. Our mental health services must receive the funding they vitally need or we face a ‘lost generation’ of vulnerable children and young people.”   

While 4,032 children and young people were treated over the period July to September 2020 by child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), only 60.6% were seen within the 18-week waiting target and only one health board, NHS Ayrshire and Arran met this target.

The report also highlights that in September 2020, 1,060 children and young people had been waiting more than a year for treatment, up from 632 on the same point last year.

In addition, 365 had been waiting over a year prior to treatment compared with 220 in the same quarter the previous year.

The SCSC has warned that self-isolation and social distancing have had an impact on young people struggling with issues such as anxiety and depression. It has noted that even the most resilient children are going to need additional support as they navigate this transition back into whatever is the new normal, and some will need a lot of extra support.