Peter Black and South Wales West Liberal Democrats

Mental Health funding cut as Auditors say services are still failing children

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for the Labour-Plaid coalition government to explain why funding for key mental health services has been cut just as the Wales Audit Office report on Services for Children and Young People with Emotional and Mental Health Needs concludes that "services are still failing many young people." (1)

Kirsty Williams, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats commented:

"This latest report gives a damming verdict on children's mental health services in Wales. The report finds that services are still failing many children and young people. We are therefore shocked to find that in scrapping the Joint Working Grant (2), the Labour-Plaid coalition has slashed overall funding of local mental health services (3)."

"The Minister for Health has rubbished this report, saying improvements have been made since the research was carried out. The authors of this report have shown that research is indeed up to date. These funding cuts make a mockery of the Minister's confidence in the provision of effective mental health services for Children in Wales."

Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Minister added:

"In Swansea funding for Mental Health rehabilitation and CAMHS* will be cut by as much as £171,000 this year. The cuts are predicted to result in reduced staffing and an impact on the support to looked after children with mental health needs (1.1) . These are exactly the services today's Audit report identifies as needing resource and improvement."

"We know that some £50 million of health funding remains unallocated and that there are significant inefficiencies in NHS Wales. We ask the Health Minister to investigate inefficiencies and work with local Authorities to establish secure funding for these vital services."

Ends.

Notes

*CAMHS - Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Report Produced by the Wales Audit Office (WAO) , Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) , Estyn and Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW)

Services for children and young people with emotional and mental health needs.

Main Conclusion p9 "Our overall conclusion is that despite some improvements in recent years, services are still failing many children and young people, reflecting a number of key barriers to improvement."

P10 "Specialist CAMHS teams in many parts of Wales are struggling to provide services in a way that meets the specific needs of children and young people. The location, environment, and opening times of services are frequently not child or family friendly."

On CAMHS Workforce p15

"Delivering improved services will require an appropriately skilled and experienced CAMHS workforce. We recommend that: i) The Assembly Government identifies national priorities for developing the CAMHS workforce and a process by which these priorities will be addressed at a regional and local level. This should include a detailed action plan for achieving the staffing levels and expertise required to meet the needs of children and young people."

1.1 Case Study 7 Looked After Children p36

"Oliver is a looked after child from South East England, living in foster care in Wales. The abuse he suffered as a young child meant he needed support from specialist CAMHS. He was first referred when he was nine years old and his needs assessed. However, due to a lack of clarity about who was responsible for funding his treatment his case was closed by CAMHS. He was re-referred and the case closed again, before funding was finally agreed over three and a half years after the original referral. It was not until then that he

received any psychotherapy."

2. Gwenda Thomas, Statement on 'Paying for Care', in response to Kirsty Williams AM. Record of Proceedings November 17th.

"I think that you referred to the joint working grant being abolished. I would not use the word 'abolished'. We have taken a decision to cease payments of the joint working grant to local authorities."

3. WLGA circular Autumn 2009

"Many councils are using this grant (Joint Working Grant) to bolster the under funded and resources Child and Adolescent Mental Health services. Recent and imminent reports will again state that considerable improvements in services across Wales will be needed. Many of these projects involve education, social services, the NHS and voluntary sector. In one area the schemes straddles two councils, and the extended NHS and is linked to a redevelopment of a childrens centre."