Children and Young People's Mental Health Task Force: recommendations

Foreword

The Children and Young People's Mental Health Taskforce was jointly commissioned by the Scottish Government and COSLA in June 2018. The aim of the Taskforce was that children, young people, their families and carers should know that they are supported in good mental health and will be able to access services which are local, responsive and delivered by people with the right skills.

These recommendations to Scottish Government and COSLA are the product of a year's work by; Taskforce members, and those who contributed to its workstreams. Everyone who came together contributed their expertise, energy and commitment to identify the best way forward for children and young people's mental health services in Scotland.

The Taskforce would not have progressed this work at such a pace were it not for the leadership of the Chair, Dr Dame Denise Coia. Her vision to build an approach to mental health support and services for children and young people that, irrespective of background or personal characteristics, ensures they receive the right care and interventions at the right time and in the right place, has been fundamental to the commitment of the Taskforce. Her resolve that the voices of children, young people and their families should be central to this work has culminated in this set of recommendations.

Going forward the Taskforce are clear that children, young people and their families should remain actively involved in identifying local gaps and needs. They should be integral in developing the additional support and services that will meet these needs, as well as providing feedback on an ongoing basis of their experiences.

These recommendations provide a blueprint for how children and young people's services should support mental health. Implementing these recommendations will be a positive step towards creating a system of mental health supports and services which meet the needs of children and young people across Scotland for years to come.