Our response focuses on the needs of infants, children and young people and highlights the importance of prevention, early intervention, integrated care and sustained investment in children’s mental health services.
About the consultation
The DHSC is developing a new mental health strategy for England. The call for evidence sought views on how mental health services can improve outcomes, support people earlier and make better use of community-based, digital and preventative approaches.
The consultation explores several key shifts, including moving care from hospital to community, making better use of digital and AI tools and focusing more strongly on prevention rather than crisis response.
RCPCH’s response draws on evidence from paediatricians, child health policy, and existing College positions on children’s mental health, community healthcare, digital health, transition to adult services and child poverty.
Read the consultation on the DHSC website
Our response
RCPCH welcomes the development of a new mental health strategy for England and urges the Government to ensure that the needs of infants, children and young people are central to its design.
Many of the factors that shape mental health outcomes begin in childhood, including poverty, housing, education, family support, physical health and access to community services, which sit outside specialist mental health provision. A successful mental health strategy must therefore take a cross-government, life course approach.
We emphasise that prevention and early intervention must be prioritised. Investment in early years services, schools, community paediatrics, CAMHS, family support, youth services and integrated neighbourhood models is essential to reduce escalation, improve outcomes and prevent children and young people from reaching crisis point.
Our response also highlights the importance of improving continuity of care, particularly during transitions between child and adult services. Young people continue to experience fragmented support, inconsistent eligibility thresholds and abrupt service changes at age 18. RCPCH calls for developmentally appropriate 0–25 models of care, clear national expectations, protected staff time for transition planning and greater involvement of young people in designing transition pathways.
Digital and AI tools may have a role in improving access, service planning and administrative efficiency, but they must be implemented safely. The College stresses that digital tools should support, not replace, therapeutic relationships and must be underpinned by strong safeguards, particularly for children and young people with complex needs or vulnerabilities.