Morning, Tuesday, 12th July 2022
This conference focuses on support for the mental health of children and young people in England.
Delegates will examine the impact of the pandemic, the effectiveness of the policy response, and what more needs to be done going forward.
We expect discussion to draw on issues raised in the CQC’s review of child mental health services, which highlights the need to address increased demand, provide early intervention, and boost collaboration between service providers, local authorities and parents.
The conference will also be an opportunity to assess the mental health training grant announced by the DfE last year - and how schools and colleges can assist students to develop skills around mental resilience and online maturity.
It comes with reports citing social media as a factor in a decline in children’s mental health, and with the Times Education Commission highlighting concerns around pupils struggling with exam-related stress and feeling ill-equipped for life.
Session in the agenda include:
- Priorities - improving child mental health provision & funding
- Tackling inequalities - cross-sector collaboration ◦ addressing silo working ◦ meeting increased demand for services ◦ improving access to holistic care ◦ support for families & the workforce
- Quality and standards - and learning from best practice
- Issues linked with the pandemic - the online environment ◦ eating disorders ◦ remote consultation shortages ◦ links between physical & mental health ◦ support for vulnerable children ◦ stigma
- Mental health in schools - identifying children most in need ◦ addressing assessment anxiety ◦ boosting catch-up programmes for vulnerable children ◦ support for the workforce
- Policy - addressing key issues for children’s mental health & wellbeing into the future
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Jemima Burnage, Deputy Chief Inspector; and Lead for Mental Health, Care Quality Commission; and Professor Lord Layard, Director, Wellbeing Programme, London School of Economics.