Panorama: Children in Crisis

[RiverOrange]

Did anyone watch this last night? It was truly heartbreaking. I’m so glad Steve Fletcher (hope that was his name) who’s own son has OCD has highlighted this. Hopefully funding for child MH will be not only prioritised higher but ring fenced in future otherwise it’s all just empty words. No one in their right mind would expect a person with a broken leg or an infection to wait for 18months for treatment . The reason they do is because once again, it’s an invisible illness. They don’t see how badly the child is suffering, how much it’s affecting and spreading through their daily lives. People even professionals sometimes still think it’s just a bit Of naughtiness, all in the mind. Sorry it’s one big block but my iPad is packing up and some keys not working.

[RiverOrange]

No one?

[ShannonRockallMalin]

I listened to a piece about this programme on the radio but couldn’t bring myself to watch it. My son is going through severe anxiety at the moment and cannot attend school. He has panic attacks just putting his uniform on. Luckily the waiting list for CAMHS where we live does not seem to be too long, but we’re still being threatened with legal action for non school attendance. Like you say, you wouldn’t get threatened with court if your child couldn’t go to school because they were physically ill, but it doesn’t seem to apply to kids with mental health illnesses.

[RiverOrange]

Shannon -So sorry to hear about your son. The journalist's son didn't go to school for a yr and has only just returned. DS received CBT in the summer is feeling much better thankfully. We are with CAMHs, that's just the first hurdle, but we couldn't get the actual treatment (CBT) We had to go private in the end, the CBT waiting list itself is about 18mths and they delay your going on that list for as long as possible. Only when they are self harming and attempting suicide do they get you CBT, so for people like DS they just fob them of to another 'triage' service.

I wanted to watch the programme more to educate myself further as a parent but it had flared up my anxiety since and have non stop burning in the stomach because of it.

[OhTheRoses]

I missed it. Wish I hadn't. My dd was unwell a few years ago and got zero NHS support. GP told me to get her a therapist off the internet because CAMHS were useless.

It is a horrendous scandal. It has been years coming out.

It's bigger than post natal care that got a MNet campaign.

It really isn't all about funding. Some of it is about inflexibility and incompetence. DD had an undiagnosed neuro developmental disability. You know - not abuse, not deprivation, not looked after, etc. But that's off their ken.

[OhTheRoses]

Oh and I get the bit about waiting lists. They offered dd group therapy (wholly inadequate and would have tipped her over the edge and refused to negotiate. Then closed the case because their crap intervention that would have been detrimental was declined.

We are in Surrey. Services via SABP are now under scrutiny and there is an action plan. I v much hope SABP lose the contract soon.

[breadhead]

Does anyone know if this is on watch again?

[Vikbat]

Yes it's on iPlayer.

My daughter downloaded it and put it on the other night. It was heartbreaking indeed.

My family have been through the system, and it's not great. There's very little in the way of support for parents - the focus is on the child, as it should be, with the limits on resources. But it leaves us parents floundering, feeling hopeless.

This programme highlighted this.

I'm working on setting up coaching for parents; sharing how I have coped. My daughter, fingers crossed, is getting better, but it is such slow progress. I've had amazing support from an ex-teacher who is going into schools using the Three Principles to help kids. It's a simple awareness, and if I hadn't had the support of this I'd probably be locked up.

The system needs changing, by people who know.