Thousands of children and young people supported by social care in Greater Manchester are set to benefit from a new mental health pilot.
NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board has been selected to trial a new mental health programme.
Care Together will test and evaluate a new model of care, embedding mental health professionals from existing NHS services into children’s social care settings.
The goal is to replace fragmented provision with faster access to expert, needs-led mental health support, including family therapy and support for parents and primary caregivers.
The government will invest up to £9.4 million over three years in the Care Together pilot, which will be run by Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB), working with Stockport, Tameside, and Rochdale local authorities.
The announcement follows Professor Fonagy’s independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, which recommended better integrated mental health support.
The latest figures on children in need, children on protection plans, children in care, and care leavers, including adopted children, across the three participating local authority areas show up to 7,000 children and young people, as well as their parents, carers, and/or guardians, will be covered by the pilot.
Dame Diana Johnson, Minister of State for Public Health and Patient Safety, said: "For too long, fragmented mental health services have left young people in care, care leavers, parents, carers, and guardians not knowing where to turn for support.
"We are committed to change how we support young people, and this exciting and innovative pilot will see thousands more children across Greater Manchester get specialist mental health support based on their personal needs and in quicker time, before they reach crisis point."
Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister said: "Every child deserves people in their corner, and we know that children supported by social care often face severe mental health challenges because of the trauma and adversity they have faced.
"As well as this important pilot scheme we are expanding support for children leaving care, including through the national rollout of our Staying Close programme and corporate parenting duties for public bodies. We are also investing £2.4 billion in early, targeted intervention and reform to children’s social care to get families the help they need and keep them together wherever possible.
"All of this is intended to help some of our most vulnerable young people feel supported into adult life and have enduring, loving relationships into the future."
