Radical overhaul for children’s mental health services in UK

The UK government has announced that it will be introducing significant changes to the way in which children's mental health services are managed throughout the country.

A new five-year plan is being put in place to ensure that the level of care given to young people struggling with mental health-related illnesses is of the best possible standard.

Misunderstandings often surround whether it is the NHS or the local council that is responsible for providing care to these children, which is one of the issues that the new changes will address.

Furthermore, the government will be running a campaign to tackle the stigma attached to mental illness, as well as setting up 'one-stop-stop' services in every area to provide help and support to children with such conditions.

Care and support minister Norman Lamb explained: "I want to change the way we think about mental health care so that any child, whether they have a mental illness or simply need support through a difficult time, can get the right help at the right time."

Data shows that one in ten young individuals aged between five to 16 have some form of mental illness, meaning an overhaul to these services is much needed.