To ask you for your help with some sort of campaign for better mental health support for children and young people?

[Beecity]

Because its shocking.
As an adult I had some MH issues. I went from self refer stage to counselling assessment and CBT assessment and session dates within three weeks. Two weeks later I started CBT. I finished that Friday and today I got a letter for my further treatment for OCD. So within three months from start to finish of the process including six weeks CBT.

For children and young people they are being left months and sometimes years. When and if they do get to Camhs (some have had the refer request refused) it seems a real postcode lottery with how helpful they are. Most of my friends have had rubbish experiences.
I have two friends whose children haven't been to school in months, other friends whose kids are self harming, have ended up in A & E, severe anxiety etc.
Children who were in the arena attack and are still getting no help.

I'm not sure what the answer is. Possibly teach CBT in schools? Even if it is not relevant at the time it gives them skills for the future.
Have resources in place so if their is God forbid a future attack children get help sooner?
Fundraise?

Any ideas how we could improve things and how to move forward with this are greatly appreciated.

I definitely agree with you. My DSD has really really struggled at times but the support is grindingly slow and hopelessly inadequate- a handful of worksheets after months of waiting for a meeting.

Time to Change and Mind do some incredible stuff with children and young people. I'm involved with the LA's scheme of work, which is certainly better than it was 5 years ago. Worth checking yours out too.

You are right, it's precious little, but the more people who support the organisations like those mentioned, the better.

Thank you for bringing this to more people's attention.

There are quite a few voices raising this subject. I'm sure there were also petitions but I've signed so many can't honestly remember exactly the wording of them. My son is diagnosed Asd with GAD and medicated by psychiatrist but it was a long road to get help, and the net result was an entire year out of school and the need for specialist placement as his mental health nosedived without support. In some areas the child has to have significantly self harmed or be in real danger of suicide before they even qualify...it's appalling.

The lack of resources is shocking.

Now we are in the system we are lucky that Ds has a fantastic team around him but if took us close on 6 months of begging to get the initial appointment even self harming behaviour couldn’t speed it up.

Same here Sirzy. My friend sat in A and E with her pre teen saying they wanted to die after self harming and they still didn't get the help they needed properly :(

Will definitely check that out. Thanks Missus.

Rather than start something new, look into existing campaigns. Mind would be the best place to start.

After my ds age 9 was diagnosed with ptsd and seperation anxiety we were referred to camhs, they assessed and then told us by letter that he needed specialist bereavement councelling and then the anxiety should also lift, they didnt offer that so removed him from there books with a list of places for me to contact. All of the places on the list had closed their books to new people because they were too busy, the drs surgery dont offer councelling services for under 16s, the local childrens hospice refused to recommend anyone, even when i said i could pay. Every avenue i tried i hit a brick wall, we are now 6 months on and hes just about to start sessions with someone who hopefully will be able to help him. It was a miracle we got her and only because one of my younger childrens nursery workers is a good friend of hers and heard me discussing my eldests problems and offered to have a word.....
Child mental health services have come along way in 10 years but they are still woefully poor and dreadfully under funded, even my local council offered teenage councelling but refused my son because of his age.