YoungMinds responds to the Autumn Budget

Today’s budget is only the start of what is needed to help young people struggling with their mental health. We welcome the Government’s announcement of significant increases to investment in school budgets and SEND provision, as well as the boost to NHS funding. We hope this investment will go some way to ease the pressure on staff, reduce the long waiting times that many young people face and provide a foundation for the reform these systems desperately need. But we know funding alone will not be enough.

Growing up today is incredibly tough. Young people are experiencing a million pressures from inequality to a future that looks much more uncertain. With record-breaking numbers of young people in need of support, tweaks to the system will no longer work - we need major reforms that seek to address the root causes of why so many young people are struggling.

This is why the Government must deliver on its promise of open access mental health hubs in every community - we welcome the funding announced today for trailblazer Young Futures hubs, but we have some concerns about their framing as a crime prevention initiative. We will be watching closely to make sure they deliver for young people.