Coronavirus (COVID-19) mental health transition and recovery plan - children and young people's mental health: CRWIA

9. Have you involved children and young people in the development of this policy/measure?

Children and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Delivery Board:

Yes – via Children and Young People's Mental Health Taskforce; Youth Commission; Children and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board. Two new Engagement Officers are now in post and are working across all Task and Finish groups to make connections and identify whole system and more targeted engagement needs with children and young people, including those with lived experiences and seldom heard groups.

The Board and associated Task and Finish groups currently have Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs) representatives. In addition, the Board is currently undertaking an engagement survey through YouthLink Scotland and other partners with children and young people across Scotland age 12 – 25yrs to help improve mental health and wellbeing support to ensure they receive the support they need when they need it. Following this, further more in-depth facilitated conversations with CYP will take place. The survey and facilitated discussions are asking a broad range of questions related to mental health which will be used by the Board's Task and Finish groups within the Board to influence decision-making, design, delivery and improvements.

In addition, engagement with young children 3-5, and early primary, their families and the workforce is also underway. A grant has been awarded to Early Years Scotland (EYS) and this engagement will find more, new and different ways to support, young children and their families more effectively.

CAMHS Improvement: Yes – via Children and Young People's taskforce; Youth Commission; Children and Young People's Programme Board; Children and Young People's Joint Delivery Board.

Eating Disorder Policy: Yes – via National Review of Eating Disorder Services in Scotland and eating disorder charity, Beat.

Community Mental Health: Yes – via Children and Young People's taskforce; Youth Commission; Children and Young People's Programme Board; Children and Young People's Joint Delivery Board. Ministers have also commissioned a youth led Independent evaluation of the impact of services.

Perinatal and Early Years Mental Health: The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board have 2 Participation Officers, who are employed by Maternal Mental Health Scotland. Their main role is to engage with women and families who have used services, or have felt they would have benefitted from more support with their mental health around pregnancy and as a new parent, to gather evidence to support service development.

Children and Young People's Mental Health:

Yes - children and young people are engaged in the development of all policy on an ongoing basis. This includes through the Young Scot Health Panel, through a range of youth commissions and national conversations and by working with a range of Children and young people's organisations.

Student Mental Health and Wellbeing: NUS Scotland are members of the Equity Group referred to and will be members of the Student Mental Health and Well Being Working Group.

The National Trauma Training Programme: organisations which support and advocate for care experienced children and young people are supporting the development of a package of tailored trauma training resources for the sector.