Children and young people mental health consultation report
Download (PDF 8.11 MB)Summary of report content
Darlington Borough Council and Darlington Clinical Commissioning Group contacted Healthwatch Darlington to gather feedback from children and young people, as well as parents and carers, about their views on the future of mental health provision. The consultation took place over a period of 10 weeks. The team used survey methods and conducted focus groups to gain the data. They were able to gather feedback from 330 people in total.
The findings were mixed. Waiting times were highlighted as a significant issue, with some individuals reporting that they had been waiting for up to 6 months for an appointment to see a specialist. Concerns were also expressed about the lack of information regarding mental health. Raising awareness of mental health was identified as a top priority for young people and their parents.
The report made 12 recommendations in total. Many of these related to improving information sharing and access, as well as increasing resources. The team also recommended that the findings from the report be adopted by Darlington Borough Council and Darlington Clinical Commissioning Group.