We’re getting behind Future Minds

Today sees the launch of the Future Minds campaign.

Developed by the Centre for Mental Health, Centre for Young Lives, Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition and YoungMinds, with the support of the Prudence Trust, Future Minds is calling on the Government to deliver urgent reform and investment to boost children and young people’s mental health services. 

Research estimates the cost of long-term impact of mental health problems in childhood at over £1 trillion in lifetime lost earnings. Campaigners say inaction will prevent the Government from achieving its mission of boosting economic growth and productivity. 

We are one of 31 organisations signed up to endorse this campaign. Together, we’re calling for: 

• Increased investment in children and young people’s mental health services.

• The full rollout of Mental Health Support Teams across England by the end of this Parliament.

• The delivery of open access mental health services for children and young people in every community, initially through the Young Futures programme.

• A comprehensive children and young people’s mental health workforce plan. 

• An independent Government-commissioned rapid review to examine the causes of the rise in prevalence in children and young people’s mental health.

• A long-term commitment to increase local government funding to support investment in prevention and early intervention, restoring the public health grant and youth services spending to 2015/16 levels and addressing the shortfalls in children’s social care spending. 

Showing our support, Anna Freud CEO, Professor Eamon McCrory, said: 

“This important report underscores the staggering cost of underinvestment in children and young people’s mental health. It is vital the government listens and acts now to curb these deeply troubling forecasts, which would inevitably have a severe impact on the ambition for economic growth, as well as on the health and social lives of the next generation. 

“As outlined in our Thinking differently manifesto, there needs to be a much greater focus on early intervention and prevention to close the gap in children and young people’s mental health. For example, we want to see greater investment in community assets, more mental health support in schools and greater funding for council wellbeing initiatives. This will help to ensure children and young people access the right support at the right time, reducing the need for more expensive specialist care.  

“We stand with partners from across the sector today and urge the government to recognise both the importance of this issue, and the benefits that reform and greater investment could bring. We would urge, too, that young people are involved in future policy making, planning and delivery of mental health support that impacts on them.” 

We’re delighted that Future Minds echoes so many of the priorities we laid out in our 2024 manifesto, Thinking differently. 

Within that document – a blueprint for how we believe children and young people should be supported – we put forward a five-point plan that asks MPs, policy makers and funders to tackle the treatment gap in children and young people’s mental health services through a renewed focus on prevention, early intervention and youth voice. 

About Anna Freud 

Anna Freud is a mental health charity and we’ve been supporting children and young people for over 70 years. We listen to and learn from their diverse voices, and integrate this with learnings from our science and practice to develop and deliver mental health care. This holistic approach has world-changing potential – our training, schools support, networks, partnerships and resources equip those who impact children and young people’s lives with the knowledge and skills to support their mental health.

Learn more about us