AQW 29896/17-22

Ms Cara Hunter
Social Democratic and Labour Party
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 16/02/2022
Answered On Date: 23/03/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health whether there are plans to ring-fence a proportion of his Department's budget allocation, up to 2024-25, on supporting infant mental health and wellbeing in Northern Ireland.

Answer:

The Mental Health Strategy 2021-2031, which I published last year, has clear focus on the promotion of prevention, early intervention and wellbeing throughout a person’s whole life. It sets out a number of actions aimed at further improving the emotional wellbeing and mental health of our children and young people over the next decade.

Within the Strategy, there is recognition that the path to good mental health starts in infancy. In that regard, there is a commitment to ensure the needs of infants are met in mental health services.

In particular, Action 11 within the strategy aims is to ensure that the needs of infants are met in mental health services, and that the needs of vulnerable children and young people are met when developing and improving CAMHS, putting in place a ‘no wrong door’ approach.

To further support this work, Action 10 in the strategy aims to increase the level of investment in CAMHS to 10% of the overall mental health budget.