Children and young people’s mental health waiting times
Transformation Partners in Health and Care is committed to supporting children, young people and their families to be able to access mental health support when they need it.
Whilst we have come a long way in increasing access to community mental health services, we know that many children and young people are still having to wait too long.
How we are working to deliver a pan London response
In March 2023 the London Mental Health Board agreed children and young people’s mental health waiting times as a Pan-London priority area. TPHC’s Children and Young People’s Mental Health Transformation team is developing a programme of work to respond to this.
The programme aims to:
- understand the current waiting times in London and the factors driving long waits
- explore inequalities in access for those on wait lists
- learn from young people’s experiences and work with them on solutions
- capture and share examples of best practice through a webinar series and a resource hub
- develop once for London solutions.
We will provide resources and learning developed through this programme from early 2024, helping services to better understand the barriers and factors contributing to long wait times. We will also share best practice and examples of practical solutions which are driving change and reducing the time it takes for children and young people to access the appropriate mental health support they need.
Sharing learning and best practie
Waiting Well: effective approaches for supporting children and young people through mental health waiting periods
T[HC held a webinar on waiting well in February 2024. The webinar aims to:
- support delegates to learn more about waiting list intervention and support
- share examples of practice from London and across England
- facilitate a discussion with speakers exploring the challenges and benefits of implementing support for children and young people on waiting for services.
View the webinar presentations here: