Commissioner determined to see Mental Health Report recommendations implemented

The NI Commissioner for Children has today issued a first Status Update Report since the publication of ‘Still Waiting’ one year ago, when 50 recommendations were made to government to improve mental health services. The Report followed a Rights Based Review which assessed the adequacy and effectiveness of services for children and young people in Northern Ireland.

Commenting on progress made, the Commissioner, Koulla Yiasouma said:

“Through our review, we found a system wanting, under pressure and in need of reform to respond to the scale of need and complexity of issues facing our children and young people.

“One year on, while I would have liked to have seen quicker progress, I welcome the response we have received from the key departments and agencies. I welcome the establishment of an Interdepartmental Project Board and publication of an Action Plan led by the Department of Health.

“It is deeply frustrating that even though there is acceptance in the Action Plan that improvements need to be made, questions remain over funding for statutory CAMHS services and that these and other matters will be delayed until we have an Executive in place.

“I am determined that the recommendations of Still Waiting are implemented and therefore over the coming months we will continue to engage with the Project Board to advise on delivery and I will release the first full monitoring report in February next year.

“Ultimately, the success of the Department’s action plan will be judged on its outcomes, in this case the extent to which it has made a tangible difference to the availability, accessibility, quality and participatory nature of mental health services and support for children and young people.”

ENDS

Notes to editor:

• The Still Waiting: Status Update Report is available here.
• The 2018 Still Waiting Report is available here.

For more information:

Please contact James McCreadie at NICCY on 07917 544 177 or email james@niccy.org