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

5. How will the policy/measure contribute to the wellbeing of children and young people in Scotland?

These policy areas exist to support the mental health improvement of children and young people in Scotland. The policy aims to support public bodies in Scotland to safeguard, support and promote the wellbeing of children and young people, defined by the following eight indicators from the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014:

Safe

Protected from abuse, neglect and harm by others at home, at school and in the community

Healthy

Having the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, access to suitable healthcare, and support in learning to make healthy and safe choices

Achieving

Being supported and guided in their learning and in the development of their skills, confidence and self-esteem at home, at school and in the community

Nurtured

Having a nurturing place to live, in a family setting with additional help if needed or, where this is not possible, in a suitable care setting

Active

Having opportunities to take part in activities such as play, recreation and sport which contribute to healthy growth and development, both at home and in the community

Respected

Having the opportunity, along with carers, to be heard and involved in decisions which affect them

Responsible

Having opportunities and encouragement to play active and responsible roles in their schools and communities and, where necessary, having appropriate guidance and supervision and being involved in decisions that affect them

Included

Having help to overcome social, educational, physical and economic inequalities and being accepted as part of the community in which they live and learn

Children and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Delivery Board: The Board will continue the work of the Children and Young People's Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board to ensure the development of a coherent, whole system approach with a focus on the pathways and journeys children, young people and their families may take. Developing this whole system approach will support public bodies to safeguard, support and promote the wellbeing of children and young people more consistently.

CAMHS Improvement: Implementing the CAMHS Improvement programme (including the successful implementation of the National CAMHS and Neurodevelopmental Service Specification and Standards for children and young people) will support public bodies in ensuring that children and young people who require mental health and/or neurodevelopmental support will have access to appropriate services and support in the right place, at the right time.

Eating Disorder Policy: Implementing the CAMHS Improvement programme and specific improvements to Eating Disorder services for children and young people will support public bodies in ensuring that children and young people who require support and treatment for an eating disorder will have access to appropriate services and support in the right place, at the right time.

Community Mental Health: Provision of community supports and services in line with the Framework will enable local authorities and partners to ensure a wider range of support for children and young people's wellbeing. Local authorities are expected to measure the outcomes for funded services. In addition, Ministers have commissioned an independent evaluation of the services to assess if they are meeting the needs of children and young people.

Perinatal and Early Years Mental Health: The evidence so far has highlighted that where a parent(s) is experiencing mental health problems during the perinatal period, they may need some support and help during this time to help build strong loving relationships with their child and to support them with the daily responsibilities of parenting. The policy measure aims to have a positive impact on infants up to the age of 3 years in Scotland as parents with mental health problems will have the opportunity to access enhanced services, receiving help and support from fully trained specialists and professionals where appropriate.

Children and Young People's Mental Health: It is a Scottish Government priority that children, young people and their families are able to access the right help, support and guidance, without stigma, as early as possible, to support their mental health and wellbeing. This often means insuring those who work with children and young people and their families have the training and resources they need to provide support and assistance at the earliest stage.

Working with partners such as NHS Education for Scotland and The Mental Health in Schools National Working Group we continue to provide a range of training and support packages to ensure that the entire children and families workforce, across a range of public bodies, is equipped with the tools and knowledge needed to support the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and their families. In addition, investment in specific supports for education settings such as school counsellors helps to ensure effective pathways exist for staff working in local authorities and public bodies to refer children and young people to the right support services at the right time.

Student Mental Health and Wellbeing: The development of a student mental health action plan will provide the framework to take forward and support our existing actions around providing additional counsellors in colleges and universities and embedding wellbeing in the curriculum. This work supports advanced learning institutions to meet their duties and responsibilities to the student bodies for whom they have a duty of support and care.

National Trauma Training Programme (NTTP): Experience of trauma in adulthood and/or childhood, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), increases the risk of experiencing poorer physical and mental health outcomes as well as poorer social, educational and justice outcomes. These risks can be greatly reduced if there is: widespread understanding of the prevalence and impact of ACEs and trauma, barriers to accessing services are reduced, and people are provided with support at the right time to help recovery and improved life chances. The SG is providing funding (£1.6m in 2021/22 and £1.6m in 2022/23) to support local authorities to work in partnership with health boards and other community planning partners to embed trauma informed approaches within the workplace, with implementation support provided through the NTTP.