A new mental health pilot is being rolled out in Greater Manchester to help young people being supported by social care.

A Government announcement last Friday confirmed that the NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB) will be running the Care Together Pilot, in collaboration with Stockport, Tameside, and Rochdale local authorities.

It is backed by up to £9.4m funding over three years and will support as many as 7,000 children and young people, in addition to their parents, carers, and guardians.

According to the Government, the pilot will trial a new care model, where mental health professionals from existing NHS services are embedded into children’s social care settings.

It is designed to provide ‘faster access to expert, needs-led mental health support’,  such as family therapy and support for parents/caregivers, ensuring ‘fragmented provision’ is no longer delivered. This comes after an independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism by Professor Fonagy, which called for an improvement in integrated mental health support.

Beginning in early 2027 and ending in 2029, the pilot will be assessed for scalability during its running time to determine whether it can be expanded to other locations in the country.

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Dame Diana Johnson, Minister of State for Public Health and Patient Safety, said: ‘For too long, fragmented mental health services have left young people in care, care leavers, parents, carers, and guardians not knowing where to turn for support.

‘We are committed to change how we support young people, and this exciting and innovative pilot will see thousands more children across Greater Manchester get specialist mental health support based on their personal needs and in quicker time, before they reach crisis point.’

Professor Manisha Kumar, Chief Clinical Officer at NHS Greater Manchester, added: ‘We know that mental health outcomes are often impacted by a range of issues. Children who are known to social care have often experienced a range of adversity. By meeting needs earlier and in a joined-up way, we will provide trauma informed care and holistic support to ensure this vulnerable group have the right support at the right time.

‘Bringing mental health professionals into social care teams will help us provide better support and learn what works for families here, and to help shape national changes.’