The Education Policy Institute has published a report on the availability of non-specialist mental health services for children and young people in England. The new research, using data collected from integrated care systems, local authorities and NHS trusts, shows substantial geographic variation in the range of non-specialist mental health support services for young people – with no clear link between the level of need and the range of support on offer.  The report makes the following policy recommendations:

The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) should commission research to investigate how all existing mental health services, including non-specialist and specialist services, delivered in all relevant settings including schools, are meeting demand for young people’s mental health at all levels. To improve understanding of need and demands for services, additional research should examine incidence patterns in more depth, with a particular focus on specific groups such as girls and young women, ethnic minority groups, and LGBTQ+ youth.

The Office for Health Improvement Disparities (OHID) should work with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to develop guidance laying out what the local early intervention service offer should look like.

NHS England should develop guidance on effective governance to address persistent weaknesses in provision, identified by this research and that of others.

The rollout of Young Futures Hubs, a key pillar of the new government’s youth mental health support programme, should address provision gaps and integrate with existing open access services identified through existing research, including this report.