Publication - Strategy/plan
Children and Young People's Mental Health Task Force: recommendations
Recommendations from Children and Young People’s Mental Health Task Force to Scottish Government and COSLA.
Appendix 1:
Mental Health Policy Commission – Investing in a Resilient Generation: four building blocks (2018)
| Building block | Local focus to build the resilience of young people |
|---|---|
| Positive family, peer, and community relationships | Enhanced perinatal support with a specific focus on the mental health of mothers and infants |
| Parenting programmes, which include fathers, where possible, and have a whole-family focus | |
| Intensive support for families facing difficulties, building on the Family Recovery Project model with embedded mental health expertise | |
| Investing in the social infrastructure of communities with a stronger focus on the needs of young people | |
| Minimise adverse experiences and exclusions | Ensure vulnerable families and young people have a secure base within the community in terms of income, housing, and access to health, education, and employment – using a combination of universal provision and targeted approaches such as Housing First |
| Community and family-based approaches to reduce harm caused by identifiable Adverse Childhood Experiences, such as abuse, domestic violence, bullying, or victimisation | |
| Mentally friendly education and employment | Whole-school Social and Emotional Learning programmes that are universal but can offer additional support for more vulnerable children |
| Whole-school approaches for addressing harmful behaviour, particularly bullying, substance abuse, and reducing exclusions | |
| Supporting successful transitions in education (eg, primary/secondary school transition) and into employment | |
| Encouraging employers to support the mental well-being of their workforce and make public reporting on employee engagement and well-being a requirement | |
| Responding early and responding well to first signs of distress | Accessible and friendly ‘one-stop-shop’ services for young people – eg, the Australian Headspace model or the Tavistock-AFC Thrive model here in the UK. The best services are those that are co-designed with young people and their families |
| An inclusive approach that involves family and friends in developing understanding and support, and that addresses social, relationship, or identity issues that may underlie young people’s mental distress – eg, Open Dialogue |
Contact
Email: Hannah.Broadley@gov.scot