A Chance to Reset How We Support Youth Mental Health?

Today’s announcement of a national review into demand for mental-health, ADHD and autism services is welcome (see: BBC NEWS Article)
– but whether it leads to meaningful change for young people will depend on how boldly it confronts the evidence.

The review’s scope is wide seeking to understand:

• the factors behind trends in prevalence
• the impact of clinical practice, including social and cultural factors and the risks and benefits of medicalisation
• ways to promote the prevention of mental ill health
• ways to create resilience and improve early intervention

From a Youth Talk perspective, here’s what I hope it addresses head-on:

– Help must begin before crisis. At Youth Talk we are seeing more young people arriving at our door more unwell. Too many young people fall through the gap between “not unwell enough” and “in desperate need”. We must treat need as seriously as disorder.

– Support can’t be squeezed into an artificial deadline. Mental health doesn’t follow a 12-session timetable, and counselling is most effective once trust is built – something that can take time for many young people. Diagnosis may open a door, but therapeutic support needs enough flexibility to match a young person’s needs, rather than being constrained by a one-size-fits-all limit.

– Complexity is the norm, not the exception. Anxiety, trauma, ADHD traits, neurodiversity and social pressures often co-occur. Services must reflect the real lives of the young people we meet every day.

– Experience matters. Access means little if young people feel bounced around, unheard or reduced to a referral code. Compassionate, consistent care must be at the heart of this review.

– Community services like Youth Talk must be recognised as part of the solution. Charities like us already absorb demand, reduce pressure on statutory services and provide timely, trusted support. Any plan for future capacity must include us.

If this review leads to decisive investment in early, relational, local support and a system that listens earlier and acts faster – it could transform the landscape for young people. If not, we risk simply measuring demand rather than meeting it.

David Barker

Chief Executive

4th December 2025