Children and Young people's mental health support: a vision for Hillingdon

Healthwatch Hillingdon wanted to follow up their 2015 report on the needs and experiences of mental health services for children and young people in Hillingdon, as they had seen a dramatic increase in the number of children and young people requiring mental health interventions since then.  They spoke to over 500 children,  young people and parents via a survey, focus groups, workshops and community engagement.

Key findings

Children and young people highlighted the need for counselling and other mental health services that are available as quickly as possible, when they need it.

There is low awareness of the services available to support children and young people with their mental health. A single point of access line and a website detailing local support options for families and professionals was a common theme raised by children and young people, parents and professionals.

Children and young people said that if they could, they would remove exams, reduce homework, and increase opportunities at school for stress-free activities. Exam stress is one of the highest contributors to mental health challenges and young people would benefit from more support in this area.

Healthwatch conversations with children and young people emphasised the importance of creating environments where young people feel comfortable and safe to open-up and connect with others.

Providing opportunities for open conversations in safe and non-judgemental spaces was felt to be a good way of addressing stigma and normalising talking about mental health. Schools were suggested as good places to start.

Young people believe that schools have a role in teaching children how to regulate their emotions and self-manage their mental health to help prevent more serious problems later in life.

Children and young people need time to develop trust in professionals. 

Children and young people don’t always know the right words to say to be able to articulate themselves accurately or very quickly. 

A ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t support those with specific needs or who are neurodiverse. 

Offer a wider range of group support and fun activities that are engaging. Home visits and hybrid-based support between online and in-person would help young people to maintain engagement with therapies.

 Fear of family involvement is a barrier to children and young people seeking support from services. Telling them what to expect and being clear about parental consent will give them greater confidence in the process. 

So that children, young people and families can start to build familiarity and trust with services and have a better understanding of the support that’s available to them when they might need it. 

Children and young people said they would be more likely to engage informally with someone they can relate to and who may have lived experience. 

Children and young people know best what works for them. Involve them in co-designing care plans and in making decisions about mental health service provision. 

Build a better understanding of what children and young people who are neurodiverse need to engage with services. Paying attention to environmental triggers and abstract concepts about emotions will help to provide services that meet their needs better. 

LGBTQ+ children and young people experience greater levels of bullying and discrimination than most. Feeling safe from judgement and respecting confidentiality and privacy is highly important to them. Providing more targeted services aimed at supporting LGBTQ+ groups was cited as a recommendation. 

Fear of ridicule and bullying is a barrier to children and young people seeking support at school. Ensuring their privacy is respected is paramount to them feeling confident in accessing services.

Cultural and religious beliefs can prevent children and young people of specific backgrounds seeking support. Services must recognise the role faith has and ensure therapeutic approaches take this into account. 

Offer mental health first aid and other training that supports parents to support their children to prevent crises. 

Promote support on the platforms that children and young people use – TikTok, Instagram, and gaming sites being the most prevalent – to help them access trusted information and support.