Nursery World - Mental health: Service cuts hit mothers and babies

Austerity measures are having a knock-on effect on the provision of
mental health services around the UK. Gabriella Jozwiak investigates
what this means for those in need of support.

Almost one in ten five- to 16-year-olds has a mental health disorder, according to Government statistics, while some experts believe this number could be higher. However, the services designed to treat such conditions are shrinking due to Government austerity measures.

Research published last month by charity Young Minds suggests more than half of councils in England have cut or frozen their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) budget since 2010. Some reductions have been more dramatic, with Birmingham City Council's budget falling by 94 per cent from just above £2.3m in 2010/11 to £125,000 in 2014/15.

The findings follow a warning from the Royal College of General Practitioners in January that the recession is prompting more cases of depression, stress and anxiety among 15- to 34-year-olds.

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