Thousands of children and young people will benefit from extra funding for early support hubs to help children and young people receive better mental health support across the country.
Twenty-four hubs, including CHUMS Charity in Bedfordshire, will receive a share of almost £8 million to help young people get the support with their mental health at an earlier stage. Services include psychological therapies, specialist advice and wider issues which may affect a young person's mental health, including sexual health, exam worries, jobs, drugs, alcohol and financial worries.
The hubs are open to those aged 11-25, and are available for anyone who may not meet the threshold to receive NHS support. Youngsters going through the trauma of worry, anxiety, or stress will have a physical space to go to when their problems first emerge.
A network of around 70 Early Support Hubs currently exist across the country. They are run by a range of local services including volunteer organisations, NHS Trusts and local authorities. Progress is being made to support more children and young people with their mental health, regardless of background or location, with investment in NHS mental health services continuing to increase each year from almost £11 billion in 2015/16 to almost £16 billion in 2022/23.
Richard Fuller MP said:
No child or young person should suffer alone, and this additional funding for 24 mental health hubs, including one at CHUMS in Bedfordshire, will improve access and bring in more staff and experts who can help those who need it the most.
Support in school is also important, which is why the government is continuing to roll out mental health support teams to schools and colleges in England. There are currently around 400 mental health support teams in place across England, covering over 3 million children or around 35% of pupils in schools and colleges, and coverage is being extended to at least 50% of pupils in England by the end of March 2025.
