Sir – Melinda Tilley, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for children, education and families claims that extra referrals into child mental health services are a sign of success, and that the county must be ‘dealing with it better’ (Report, January 15).
In reality, whilst referrals may be up over 12 per cent, the numbers actually getting treatment increased by less than six per cent, leaving significant numbers of young people without help.
In our experience as counsellors, the reality is that the situation for young people seeking help for mental health issues has grown steadily worse in recent years.
Oxfordshire County Council has made substantial cuts to its services for young people since 2010, affecting among other things counselling services.
The lack of services offered will decline still further after the planned budget cuts in the spring of this year.
This is in the context of national cuts in the NHS to mental health services for young people, amounting to £50m since 2010, over six per cent.
Putting a positive spin on the crisis in child mental health does no favours to the young people that urgently need better help.
Hannah Fenton, Irene Williams, Lucy Healey, Justine Gore-Smith, Phoenix Counselling Cooperative, Oxford
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