Mental Health


How accommodation can support student wellbeing 09/09/2019 The number of students seeking mental health support while studying at university has increased by more than 50% in the last five years – and their accommodation can play a huge part in this. Zachary Spire explains.
Quarter of a million children ‘unhappy’, charity says 28/08/2019 Council chiefs have called for more funds for children’s services after a charity found quarter of a million teenagers in the UK are unhappy.
Government announces over £3m to support children with mental health issues 20/08/2019 Children and young people are to benefit from a £3.3m injection of cash into local community projects, the Government has announced.
Whitehall urged to adopt ‘social model’ for dealing with mental health issues 17/07/2019 MPs and social workers have called on the Government to recognise the role of social factors when treating people with mental illnesses.
Hinds launches £9m mental health training scheme 12/07/2019 Pupils struggling with mental health are to benefit from more 'joined up care and support', education secretary Damien Hinds has announced.
Majority of young people experience mental health issues, poll reveals 02/07/2019 Three in five young people have experienced a mental health problem or are close to someone who has, according to a new survey.
Council chiefs warn of ‘children’s mental health crisis’ 01/07/2019 Local authority leaders have warned that social services are seeing more than 560 cases of children with mental health disorders every day – an increase of more than 50% in just four years.
Carers increasingly ‘depressed’, survey reveals 25/06/2019 Carers are feeling stressed and depressed working in what is an increasingly over-stretched and underfunded care system, a new survey has revealed.
PM commits £600,000 to support suicide prevention plans 21/06/2019 The first ever review of local suicide prevention planning in England has revealed that some councils are struggling to deliver on their prevention plans.
Charity warns cuts to children’s services ‘undermine’ mental health agenda 17/06/2019 A children’s charity has welcomed the Prime Minister’s ‘new mission’ to put prevention at the top of the mental health agenda, but warn that cuts to children’s services undermine progress in this area.
Domestic abuse victims more likely to develop a mental illness 07/06/2019 Women suffering domestic abuse are three times more likely than others to develop mental illness, according to a study.
Wales champions council tax discounts for mentally impaired 10/04/2019 A new initiative will make it easier for people with a severe mental impairment to receive a council tax discount.
Nearly two thirds of councils cut mental health services for children 10/04/2019 Around 60% of local authority areas have seen a real-terms fall in spending on low-level mental health services for children, a new report has revealed.
Protections for people who lack mental capacity must be 'robust', MPs say 02/04/2019 A new definition of what constitutes 'liberty' will be included in the Mental Capacity Act to help protect vulnerable people, the Government has announced.
Supporting people with dementia 27/03/2019 Paul Smith and Francis Philippa explain how four different pilot projects have helped improve the quality of life for people living with dementia.
Around 15,000 patients with neurological conditions ‘let down’ by care system 18/03/2019 Councils are not routinely recording whether someone they are providing services for has a neurological condition, making these patients ‘invisible’.
Benefits system causing ‘serious psychological distress’ 04/03/2019 The benefits system is causing people with mental health problems ‘serious psychological distress’, a charity has revealed.
One in 13 young people suffer from PTSD 22/02/2019 One in 13 young people have had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before reaching age 18, new research has revealed.
Schools to try ‘mindfulness’ in new mental health trials 04/02/2019 Hundreds of children and young people are to take part in trials testing a range of ‘innovative techniques’ designed to support good mental health in schools, the education secretary has announced.
Whitehall urges councils to put ‘effective’ suicide prevention plans in place 23/01/2019 Every local authority is required to put an effective suicide prevention plan in place under a new Government drive to tackle suicide.
Council chiefs warn of scams targeting the vulnerable 16/01/2019 Local authority leaders have called on carers and families to be aware of fraud targeting older and more vulnerable people.
One in four ‘sandwich carers’ suffer mental health problems 15/01/2019 Over a quarter of ‘sandwich carers’ report symptoms of mental ill-health and are struggling financially, according to the latest statistics.
Children with mental health conditions are being 'failed' by NHS say MPs 14/01/2019 Young people with a mental health condition are being failed by the NHS as they are not receiving the treatment they need, MPs have warned.
Brokenshire announces proposals to help veterans access social housing 09/01/2019 The Government has announced it is consulting on proposals that would mean members of the Armed Forces and veterans suffering from mental health issues will be prioritised for social housing.
New mental health teams set to support 500,000 children 20/12/2018 Half a million children and young people are set to benefit from new mental health support teams, secretary of state for health and social care has announced.
Whitehall to ‘transform’ mental health care 06/12/2018 The Government today announced it will introduce a new Mental Health Bill in order to ‘transform’ mental health care.
Southwark commits to 100% treatment rate for children with mental health conditions 30/11/2018 Southwark Council has become the first local authority in the country to commit to a 100% treatment rate by 2020 for children with mental health conditions.
One in eight children have a mental disorder, data reveals 23/11/2018 One in eight children and young people aged between five and 19 have a mental disorder, according to a survey.
Commissioner warns children are being failed by mental health services 22/11/2018 Mental health services for children and young people are generally improving but progress is slow, according to the children's commissioner.
A third of teenagers experience mental health problems 18/10/2018 A third of 15 to 18-year-olds are suffering from mental health and emotional wellbeing issues, according to campaigners.
A missed opportunity? 12/10/2018 The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill should soften financial and operational pressure on local authorities, but it will still leave them open to legal exposure, argues Morris Hill.
Poverty can lead to self-harm and violent crime, study shows 11/10/2018 Children from poorer families are at ‘significantly greater risk’ of being involved in violent crime and harming themselves later in life, new study shows.
Libraries support people with mental health issues, say council chiefs 11/10/2018 Local government leaders have described how novel library services are helping people cope with a range of mental health problems.
Watchdog warns of 'significant unmet need’ for children’s mental health services 10/10/2018 There is still 'some way to go' before mental and physical health for young people are treated with the same importance, the official spending watchdog warns.
Children’s mental health referrals increase by a quarter 08/10/2018 The number of referrals to specialist children’s mental health services has increased by 26% over the last five years, an education think tank has revealed.
Social prescribing pilots for mental health patients launched in Wales 01/10/2018 The Welsh health secretary today announced new early intervention pilots to help reduce reliance by mental health patients on prescription medication.
Children with mental health issues face youth services ‘black hole’ 12/09/2018 Three-quarters of young people looking for support for mental health issues become more unwell before they can access treatment, charity reveals.
Vulnerable offenders increasingly referred to health services rather than prison 10/08/2018 Offenders with mental health, alcohol and drug abuse problems are increasingly being referred to health services as part of community sentences.
Study links to children's health to parent's mental health problems 30/07/2018 Doctors should consider seeing whole families at the same time, according to a new report that shows children's well-being is affected by the state of their parents' health.
Whitehall criticised for ‘disappointing’ approach to children's mental health 26/07/2018 The Government’s green paper on children's mental health ‘doesn’t go far enough’ in tackling the challenges many young people are facing, local government leaders warn.
Young people report difficult transition from child to adult mental health services 10/07/2018 Most young people being moved from child to adult mental health services are being failed by the system, a new investigation has revealed.
‘Racially motivated’ murder could have been avoided, safeguarding review says 22/06/2018 The murder of an asylum seeker while living in supported living accommodation in Bristol could have been avoided, a safeguarding adult review has concluded.
Whitehall announces £1m pilot to improve mental health assessments 14/06/2018 The Government today announced a £1m pilot scheme to help children in care get ‘high quality’ mental health assessments.
Should mediation be compulsory in the Court of Protection? 01/06/2018 Emma Sutton, Barrister at Serjeants’ Inn Chambers, explores the question of mediation in the Court of Protection and what to do in the interim.
Whitehall releases £25m to support suicide prevention efforts 17/05/2018 The Government has launched a £25m programme aimed at supporting suicide prevention efforts in local communities.
Rise in mental health referrals from schools 14/05/2018 Local government leaders have branded a report on mental health services for young people 'worrying' and called for a radical overhaul of the available treatment.
Pilot projects to support rough sleepers launched 09/05/2018 The Government today launched three new pilot projects aimed at helping rough sleepers into ‘stable and affordable accommodation’.
Child mental health plans ‘lack ambition’ warn MPs 09/05/2018 The government’s proposed Green Paper on child mental health ‘lacks ambition’ and will lead to thousands of children not getting the help they need, MPs have warned today.
Measures to support children’s mental health must be ‘fast-tracked’, commission says 08/03/2018 The Government needs to ‘fast-track’ measures designed to ensure local services work together to support children and young people’s mental health needs.
Too many mental health patients placed ‘out of area’, regulator says 02/03/2018 Too many people are being placed in residential mental health rehabilitation services far from where they live, social care regulator says.
Councils chiefs call for £90m to fund mental health counselling in schools 07/02/2018 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to invest £90m to help secondary schools offer independent mental health counselling to all pupils.
Mental health detentions rise by 40% in last 10 years 24/01/2018 The number of people being detained under the Mental Health Act has risen by 40% in the past decade, new figures have revealed.
Extra support for mental health in schools ‘welcome’, campaigners say 04/12/2017 Campaigners have welcomed Government proposals to put more resources into supporting mental health in schools and demanded they be put into action immediately.
Prejudice discourages BAME children from seeking mental health support 30/11/2017 Ethnic minority children with mental problems may prefer online counselling services rather than traditional methods because of prejudice, research reveals.
Majority of people with diabetes suffering from mental or emotional problems 14/11/2017 Nearly two thirds of people with diabetes experience emotional or mental health problems because of their condition, according to new research.
Mental health services should work ‘collaboratively’ to support children, report says 06/11/2017 Social care, mental health, and other partners need to work ‘collaboratively’ to ensure looked after children receive support from all services, report says.
Local councils pledge to help communities tackle dementia 01/11/2017 The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) have signed a strategic plan with the Alzheimer’s Society in a bid to help local communities fight dementia.
Young people ‘struggling’ to get help for mental health issues 27/10/2017 Children and young people are struggling to access support for mental health issues due to fragmented services that vary in quality, health body finds.
Public sector staff guaranteed in-house mental health support, PM says 26/10/2017 The NHS and Civil Service employees will be guaranteed in-house mental health support, PM says in response to report that hundreds of thousands of people are leaving their jobs due to mental illness.
Mental health problems force 300,000 people out of work each year 26/10/2017 Hundreds of thousands of people suffering from long-term mental health problems lose their jobs each year costing the economy billions of pounds, report reveals.
Supported housing cap falls short of actual costs warn charity 17/10/2017 Government plans to cap benefits for those in supported housing could fall short of actual costs by £80 a week, new research has shown.
Mental health cuts leaving carers vulnerable to violence, survey reveals 09/10/2017 Cuts to mental health services are leaving carers vulnerable to violence from patients and are exacerbating the staff retention crisis, public sector union warns.
Thousands of children not given specialist mental health care, report finds 18/09/2017 More than 50,000 children and teenagers are not being given the specialist mental health care they need, according to a new report.
Care leavers with mental health needs being failed by services 14/09/2017 Two-thirds of care leavers with mental health needs are not receiving any help from a statutory services, a new study has revealed today.
Councils call for increased investment in suicide prevention 08/09/2017 Council leaders have called for an overhaul of mental health services to help reduce the number of registered suicides.
Tool to identify cost-effective mental health programmes launched 30/08/2017 A public health body has published a new tool designed to identify the most cost-effective programmes to help prevent mental ill health in local communities.
New plans to increase mental health services revealed 31/07/2017 Plans to boost mental health services and recruit thousands of new staff have been announced today by the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt.
Excluded school pupils being failed by ‘broken system’ warns think tank 21/07/2017 At least half of pupils excluded from school have a mental health issue and are being failed by an ‘unjust system’, a new report has found.
Health regulators find ‘too much’ poor mental health care 20/07/2017 Independent health regulators have found there is ‘too much poor care’ and ‘too much variation’ in the quality of specialist mental health care in England.
New parents should be provided with advice on depression, council chiefs say 06/07/2017 New mothers and fathers should be given advice about the importance of their mental health before they are discharged from hospital, council chiefs say.
Mental health system ‘failing’ young people warns think tank 21/06/2017 Councils should be able to retain a percentage of the pupil premium allowance to help provide school-based support services, a think tank has argued today.
Half of public sector workers take time off due to poor mental health 02/06/2017 Nearly half of public sector workers have taken time off work due to mental health problems, compared to 32% of private sector staff, a new survey has revealed.
NHS vanguards failing to revolutionise mental health care finds report 19/05/2017 A chance to revolutionise mental health care in the NHS could be missed, a new report has warned.
Lib Dems pledge £1bn to tackle mental ill health 11/05/2017 The Liberal Democrats today announced the party would dedicate £1bn to tackling the ‘historic injustice’ faced by people with mental ill health.
‘Alarming’ rise in young mental health patients treated far from home 10/05/2017 Seven out of 10 children and adolescents with severe mental health problems were admitted to hospitals outside of their areas last year, research reveals.
Mental health levels ‘disturbingly low’, survey reveals 08/05/2017 The current levels of good mental health in the UK are ‘disturbingly low’ with only 13% of the population reportedly living with high levels of good mental health.
‘Scandalous’ cuts undermine mental health service provision in schools, MPs warn 02/05/2017 Financial pressures are restricting the provision of mental health services in schools and colleges, MPs warn.
Mental health services face ‘savage’ cuts 25/04/2017 Five CCG areas in England are planning to cut spending on mental health services in 2017/18, new research reveals.
Charity warns deprivation linked to high suicide rates 07/03/2017 Council staff should be trained in suicide prevention a charity has argued, after a new report revealed inequalities are increasing the risk of people taking their own lives.
Only one in four young people would admit having a mental health problem 02/03/2017 Almost half of young people have experienced a mental health problem but only one in four would tell someone about it, according to a survey by the Prince's Trust.
Disabled children with challenging behaviour being 'hidden' from society 26/01/2017 A ‘fragmented' care system is depriving disabled children with complex needs of the right to an education and family life, a damning review has said today.
Mental health proposals blasted as 'puny response' by former health minister 09/01/2017 The prime minister’s pledge to overhaul mental health services has been branded a ‘puny response to a burning injustice’ by former health minister Norman Lamb.
Children's mental health funding used to pay for cuts, charity reveals 21/12/2016 Local health bodies are diverting new funding received for children's mental health services to other priorities, new research has revealed.
Councils defend record on mental health funding 09/12/2016 Council chiefs have defended their record on mental health funding after a charity accused them of spending ‘next to nothing’ on mental health initiatives.
Councils spending 'close to nothing' on mental health initiatives 08/12/2016 Local authorities are spending less than 1% of their public health budget on mental health services, new data has revealed today.
Homeless people being denied mental health services 30/11/2016 Areas with high numbers of rough sleepers are failing to provide the specialist mental health services they need, according to homelessness charity St Mungo’s.
Mental health patients face ‘long waits’ due to cuts 21/11/2016 Mental health patients face bed shortages, long waits and reduced support due to Government cutbacks, union warns.
Children’s mental health funding ‘must’ be ring-fenced 16/11/2016 The Government’s decision not to ring-fence funding for children’s mental health is putting the young people’s mental health transformation process at risk, researchers say.
King’s Fund: Mental health services ‘under threat’ 17/10/2016 Increased funding for mental health services has not been provided across the country, and services are ‘under threat’, according to a new report by The King’s Fund.
Mental health services ‘reeling’ from cuts 10/10/2016 Mental health services are reeling from a funding crisis, low morale and increased workloads, while workplace stress is at record levels, unions warn.
Pressure on services forces use of mental health crisis teams 06/10/2016 Over 200 suicide deaths per year now occur in patients under mental health crisis teams, three times as many as in in-patients, according to a new report.
Councils who chase debt may ‘damage’ children’s mental health 23/09/2016 Local councils who chase families over unpaid debts may be ‘inflicting real damage’ to children’s mental health, charity warns.
MPs ‘sceptical’ mental health services can be improved without extra funding 21/09/2016 MPs report being ‘sceptical’ about the possibility of improving mental health treatment without undermining other NHS services.
Councils urged to reduce mental health problems among pregnant women 07/07/2016 Helping expectant mothers deal with mental health issues can reduce the chances of children developing similar problems, council leaders have said in a new report.
Children being 'failed' by mental health services 31/05/2016 More than a quarter of children being referred for mental health treatment are being turned away from services, according to new data from the Children’s Commissioner for England.
Funding for safe spaces to stop vulnerable people being ‘unnecessarily locked up’ 09/05/2016 A new £15m fund will be made available for councils to provide safe accommodation for people suffering mental health crises in public spaces.
Lack of funding forces councils to ‘turn away’ children with mental health issues 28/04/2016 A significant number of local authorities and health services are failing to identify mental health issues when children enter care, select committee reports.
Reform of health and social care under threat, warns watchdog 10/03/2016 A lack of national leadership and clear planning is holding up urgent changes needed for health and social care services, Scottish government watchdogs have warned.
Think tank calls for integration of mental and physical health services 08/03/2016 The NHS could save £11bn a year by bringing treatment of physical and mental health together, according to specialist think tank The Kings Fund.
Extra £1bn a year to treat mental health problems 15/02/2016 The Government has pledged to invest an extra £1bn in mental health care by 2021, following the publication of a new report showing a million more people will access mental health services.

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This issue of Local Government News explores how councils can tackle modern slavery and trafficking in their supply chains, finds out more about Cambridge's first cohousing scheme and the launch of a new project to build a shared service pattern library for local government.

This issue also contains a special focus on children's services and how councils are protecting children following local safeguarding children boards being abolished.