07 February 2022
Jersey's first four-year Children and Young People's Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy has been published today.
The strategy, launched to mark the start of Children's Mental Health Week (7- 13 February, focuses on four main priorities for Jersey's children and young people to be happy and thriving and able to enjoy the best mental health and wellbeing.
It follows the publication of the draft strategy, last year, when Islanders were asked to share their views on radically overhauling and improving mental health outcomes for children and young people.
Redesigning children and young people's emotional wellbeing and mental health has been recognised as an immediate priority for the Government of Jersey through the Government Plan 2021-2024. Since the pandemic there has been an increase in both demand for mental health services and complexity of need.
The new plan has been co-produced with children, young people, parents, carers, and professionals, designed in both an adult and youth friendly format and translated into Portuguese, Polish and Romanian.
As part of the new plans, a Strategic Advisory Panel (SAP) is being set up, made up of young people, parents, carers, and professionals working across the system, that will advise and support this transformational programme of change.
Assistant Minister for Children and Education, Deputy Trevor Pointon, who has responsibility for CAMHS, said: "I would like to thank all those who have been involved in developing this strategy. Your voice, your experience, your expertise, and your input have been instrumental in creating Jersey's first emotional wellbeing and mental health strategy for children and young people.
"Providing love, nurture and support throughout childhood is critical to enable children and young people to reach their full potential and to thrive; but for too long in Jersey little attention has specifically been given to children and young people's wellbeing and mental health.
"Children and young people are our future and therefore 'Putting children first' is the top priority of the Government of Jersey. Investment in children, young people's and family's mental health and wellbeing has huge personal, clinical, and financial returns for the Island.
Although we started the development of this strategy before COVID-19 we must not underestimate the additional impact that the pandemic has had on the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people, and families. It is therefore more important than ever that we consider what we want our children and young people's mental health services to look like in the future, based on evidence of what works. "
Throughout the week, as part of Children's Mental Health Week 2022, the Government will raise awareness of the support services available to children and young people in Jersey, including school-based counsellors, CAMHS, Youth Enquiry Service, Children and Families Hub, Youth Wellbeing Drop-In Service.
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