Responding to the Autumn Budget

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, delivered the Government’s Autumn Budget on Wednesday 30 October. 

We’re one of 89 organisations to sign a joint statement co-ordinated by the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition that responds to the commitments made and the detail still needed. 

This statement has been signed by our CEO, Professor Eamon McCrory. 

The first budget from this Government promised the potential to deliver long overdue change for babies’, children’s and young people’s mental health. With a bold ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children, the budget was a crucial opportunity for the Government to demonstrate their commitment to these promises. And there are some glimmers of hope.  

The increased investment in the NHS, in schools, and in special educational needs and disabilities, as well as more funding for family hubs, are all steps in the right direction and will go some way in easing the pressure on families.  

But we needed to see more urgent and more wide-scale action and investment.  

We need mental health professionals in every school and college through the full national roll out of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs). 

We need the roll out of Young Futures hubs in every community that are focused on providing early mental health support, and not just reducing anti-social behaviour.  

We need action to address the root causes of mental health problems, such as reducing poverty, improving housing, the rising number of speech and language challenges, and an end to racism and discrimination.   

But ultimately, we need a government that delivers its promise to not only achieve parity of esteem between physical and mental health, but also to achieve parity between children and adults. This means that the children’s mental health system gets its fair share of increased investment. Children can no longer be at the back of the queue.  

As a sector representing the mental health of babies, children and young people, we can no longer afford to operate on the basis of broken promises. With rising need, overstretched services, the legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic and deepening social inequalities, the mental health of babies, children and young people has never been more important.  

We remain optimistic and hopeful for change, and as a sector we are here and are ready to support. But we need strong assurances now that this change will be delivered for babies, children and young people’s mental health.  

The Government must use the next Budget in the Spring to reset and truly invest in the mental health system, so all babies, children and young people can thrive. 

Read who else signed on the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition website. 

We're a mental health charity and we’ve been supporting children and young people for over 70 years. We released our own manifesto, Thinking differently, in April 2024, which called for a greater focus on prevention, early intervention and meaningful youth voice to close the gap in children and young people’s mental health.