Take Me To The Mental Health Charter Page

The Child Mental Health Charter was announced on the 15th of March, 2019.  It seeks the support of all who care about the emotional well-being and mental health of children; all who interact with them in a parental, caring or professional capacity and policy-makers.

The Charter's 6 Principles

1.

Focus on the needs of children. Children’s voices must be heard and their dignity and human rights upheld. Within school, the curriculum must embed within it an understanding of emotional well being, the principles of good mental health and the certainty of therapeutic help for those children who need it.

2.

Protect children. Any individual who works therapeutically with children must be registered through an independent government-approved agency such as the Professional Authority’s Accredited Register programme or the Health and Care Professions Council. Children are currently insufficiently protected because too many unqualified and unsupervised people are practising.

3.

Invest in a properly qualified workforce. Level 7 postgraduate training is essential and the main obstacle to a properly trained workforce is the lack of financial support. Accessible, high-quality and recovery-focused mental health services require personnel whose appropriate training is not solely dependent upon their own financial resources. All professionals (including teachers) who work with children must be trained in mental health awareness.

4.

Ensure policy is informed by the best available and appropriate evidence and adequately funded. Practice-based evidence uses continuous measurements obtained from real life practice and should inform an ‘evidence base’ for working therapeutically with children

5.

Focus on the needs of parents and carers. There must be high quality support for parents and carers to help them to better understand and support their child with schools promoted as effective, familiar, accessible and empathetic service delivery channels.

6.

Make policies work. ‘Joined up working’ would prioritise appropriate data–sharing between all agencies concerned with child welfare. The responsibility for children’s mental health would encompass all relevant Departments in addition to the Department for Health and Social Care.

Contact Your Local MP

 

Please use our ready-made MP template letter and how-to video to make your first contact with your MP.

Once you have a response from them, Sophia O’Neill and Helen Clark will assist you with further communications and next steps.

The Charter has grown in size and strength due to our members bringing their MPs onboard our campaign.

Thank you for working together with us, so that children with mental health needs will receive the early and expert help that they need.

Click Here For The Useful Links

‘PTUK is a member of the All Party Group (APPG) on A Fit and Healthy Childhood and sponsored their Report: ‘Children’s Mental Health Beyond the Green Paper: the Role of Practice-Based Evidence.’

PTUK then decided to launch the Child Mental Health Charter Campaign, calling upon the Government to make its Six Principles the blueprint for new Mental Health legislation.’

Sarah Bentley, PTUK Play Therapist, presenting on behalf of PTUK at the Houses of Parliament at the All Party Parliamentary Group for a Fit and Healthy Childhood, where PTUK are members.

Dr Lisa Cameron MP speaking at the PTUK Conference, June 2022

Find the latest news and updates that are taking place regarding the campaign.