Mental health transition and recovery plan: CRWIA Stage 1

Scotland’s Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan

CRWIA Stage 1

Key Questions

1. Name the policy, and describe its overall aims.

On 8^th October 2020, the Scottish Government published Scotland’s Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan.  The plan outlines the Scottish Government’s response to the mental health effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.  The plan is comprehensive and contains over 100 actions, including a specific section for Children, Young People and Families.  

Respecting, protecting and fulfilling the rights of children, young people and families is crucial, and as we develop and deliver our mental health response to Covid-19, the voices and experiences of children, young people and their families will remain central. This will be both in terms of how we support good mental wellbeing, and how we provide the right help and support. We acknowledge that evidence suggests children and young people's mental health and wellbeing, as well as that of their parents or carers, may be particularly affected by the impact of Covid-19.

2.  What aspects of the policy/measure will affect children and young people up to the age of 18?

Family Support. We will continue to support parents by developing a wider package of Covid-19 related family support, building on existing work, such as the introduction of Solihull Online. 

Signposting to Help and Support. We will continue our work to ensure that children, young people and their families will be clearly and quickly signposted to the right help and support where necessary. We will enhance and build on digital support developed during lockdown, such as Aye Feel and Parent Club. 

Emotional Wellbeing. We are working with children, young people and families to understand the factors that have impacted on emotional wellbeing as a result of the pandemic and lockdown. Within this we will consider wider factors such as body image, screen time, disrupted sleep, worries about education, employment, toxic masculinity, or relationship issues. We will develop policy and actions in response to what we have heard and continue to deliver work already underway in these areas, such as the Mind Yer Time guidance for healthy social media use, and the work of the Body Image Advisory Group. 

Students. We will continue to ensure that university and college students have access to the right mental health support. We will build on our existing investments such as our commitment to provide 80 additional counsellors in colleges and universities, and the refocusing of the National Union of Students’ Think Positive project to respond to Covid-19 mental health need. We will also continue to target our messaging on the availability of resources such as NHS 24 and Breathing Space to ensure they are well publicised in universities and colleges. We will develop a response to support children, young people and families experiencing heightened distress.

Emotional Distress. We will develop services to respond to the damaging impacts on unregulated emotional distress in under 16s and the parents of children experiencing distress, as well as to women in the perinatal period.

3. What likely impact – direct or indirect – will the policy/measure have on children and young people?

These actions will have a direct and positive impact on children and young people.

4. Which groups of children and young people will be affected?

General population children and also children and young people with protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.

5. Will this require a CRWIA?

Yes 

CRWIA Declaration

Tick relevant section, and complete the form.

CRWIA required √

CRWIA not required

Authorisation

Policy lead

Sam Eastop

Policy Officer

Children and Young People’s Mental Health Team

Date

22/01//2020

Deputy Director or equivalent

Angela Davidson

Acting Deputy Director, Adult Mental Health

Date

22/01/2021