Joint Strategic Board for Child and Family Mental Health minutes: 17 March 2026

Attendees and apologies

Present

• Stephen Gallagher, Director of Mental Health, Scottish Government, co-Chair
• Nicola Dickie, Director of People Policy, COSLA, co-Chair
• Aileen Blower, Professional Adviser, Scottish Government
• Roch Cantwell, Professional Adviser, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health, Scottish Government
• Angela Davidson, Deputy Director, Mental Health, Scottish Government
• Stephen Mcleod, Professional Adviser, Directorate for Mental Health, Scottish Government
• Carrie Lindsay, Executive Officer, ADES
• Haylis Smith, National Delivery Lead, Suicide Prevention Scotland
• Martin Crewe, Director, Bernardo’s
• Harriet Waugh, Self-Harm Policy and Distress Interventions, Scottish Government
• Cheryl Burnett, Chair, National Parent Forum of Scotland
• Marita Brack, Associate Director of Phycology, NHS Education Scotland
• Kandarp Joshi, Psychiatrist, Royal College of Psychiatry of Scotland
• Laura Kerr, Social Work Scotland
• Laura Meikle, Head of Support and Wellbeing Unit, Scottish Government
• Andrew Watson, Director Children and Families, Scottish Government
• Hannah Axon, Policy Manager, COSLA

Apologies

• Carolyn McDonald, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, Scottish Government
• Gillian McCluskey, Director of Centre for Research in Education, Inclusion and Diversity, Scottish Council of Deans of Education
• Ollie Bray, Education Scotland
• Suzanne Shields, Neurodiversity and CAMHS Lead, NHS Lanarkshire
• Vivienne Thomson, Children and Families Policy and Practice Lead, Social Work Scotland
• Katy Lister, Senior Policy Adviser, CYP Specialist MH Services Delivery Team, Scottish Government
• Emma Currer, Royal College of Midwives
• Ellen Moran, Principal Education Psychologist, West Dunbartonshire, Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP)
• Mairi Macpherson, Deputy Director, Improving Health and Wellbeing, Scottish Government
• Carsten Mandt, Senior Programme Manager, Perinatal Mental Health Network
• Ashleigh Macaulay, Perinatal Consultant Psychiatrist, West of Scotland Mother and Baby Unit
• Andrea Blair, General Manger Specialist Children’s Services, NHS GGC
• Joanne Smith, Chair, Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Scotland
• Jaki Lambert, Director, Royal College of Midwives

Presenters

• Karen Galloway, Fund Manager – Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund, Inspiring Scotland
• Kaylie Allen, Director of Funds, Inspiring Scotland
• Lynne Taylor, Principal Psychology Officer, Scottish Government

Observers

• Peter Innes, Senior Policy Officer, Children and Young People’s Mental Health Team, Scottish Government
• Ally Winford, Unit Head, Strategy and Co-Ordination, Scottish Government
• Liam Cahill, Team Leader, Child Health and Wellbeing, Scottish Government
• Rachel Macpherson, Health and Wellbeing in Schools Policy Manager, Scottish Government

Secretariat

• Alastair Douglas, Administrative Officer, Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Team, Scottish Government
• Madihah Iqbal, Team Lead, Children and Young People’s Mental Health Team, Scottish Government

 

Items and actions

Welcome and actions from last meeting

Nicola Dickie (ND), co-chair of the Joint Strategic Board for Child and Family Mental Health (JSB) welcomed everyone to the meeting.

ND invited any comments or amendments to the minute of the 17 December 2025 JSB meeting. Changes were noted and the minute approved for publication on the Scottish Government website once the requested changes had been made.

Actions from previous meeting were noted as complete or to be discussed at this meeting.

ND shared that the Supporting Children and Young People Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis Framework discussed at the previous meeting of the JSB was published on 18th Feb 2026. Harriet Waugh (HW) shared a paper in advanceof the meeting, providing an update on it's publication and setting out next steps (paper 2). No questions or comments were shared at this time.

Discussion

 

• Carrie Lindsay (CL) asked if there should be something in the report on Educational Psychology along with Psychological Therapy. Additionally she questioned whether it would be worth sharing in the paper how the six NHS board areas were going to be chosen. HW responded that education colleagues were contacted after a previous meeting of the JSB and there is now content around that. In terms of how NHS boards will be chosen, a note of interest will be shared with boards and then a choice can be made based on their capacity to participate and their own progress in this area. The aim will be to have a mix on large, medium and small boards participating.

No further comments or questions were raised.

JSB Review Findings

ND invited Madihah Iqbal (MI) and Hannah Axon (HA) to share the findings of the Joint Strategic Board for Child and Family Mental Health Review (paper 3).

MI and HA presented a summary of the JSB review paper and highlighted the recommendation to step down the JSB at this time and instead utilise existing governance and stakeholder groups within the children and young people and mental health policy landscape to advise on actions at appropriate times; while retaining the option to introduce further governance at a later date if required. This recommendation included:

• reviewing the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leadership Board’s membership to ensure sufficient representation of children and families stakeholders, to continue to drive work at a strategic level, directly linked to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Health & Social Care Renewal priorities
• ensuring space for focussed discussions on infant, children and young people, aligned with population health governance and the Leadership Board. This may be through stakeholder engagement meetings, with feedback directly provided to existing structures
• in line with members’ feedback, undertake a review of the current evidence, to identify policy gaps for children and young people’s mental health, to help inform priority activity

ND and Stephen Gallagher (SGa) endorsed this recommendation and invited the JSB members to share their reflections.

Discussion

• Kandarp Joshi (KJ) shared his apologies for missing the opportunity to provide feedback. He noted that while the group may not be effective yet, he believed the JSB was on the right path.  
• Martin Crewe (MC) supported the recommendation, but noted whilst there has been good policy and guidance development, the implementation gap still exists. He suggested the next steps should focus on addressing the implementation gap, working with colleagues on the ground.
• Andrew Watson (AW) commended the review and reflected on the need to streamline the complex governance structures that exist. 
• Cheryl Burnett (CB) agreed concerns around the implementation gap, given the importance of mental health support for children and young families. Airing concerns about the disbandment of the group, she stressed importance of ensuring the voice of parents, carers and third sector colleagues in shaping the strategic vision going forward.
• ND agreed the importance of ensuring the voice of parents and carers at a strategic level, including in work such as the Service Renewal Framework.
• Stephen McLeod (SMcL) reflected that the focus of a group such as this can slip the longer they continue, reducing their added value. He agreed it was a good time for a review; noting that the proposal for a refreshed needs assessment could help identify priority areas for action. This would be a good starting place for any new structures post-election.
• Liam Cahill (LC) agreed with concerns with the implementation gap.  As a next step, he highlighted the importance of not losing sight of the review findings - in particular the helpful information on what works well - in any future governance arrangements.
• Aileen Blower (AB) highlighted that the review was very clear and comprehensive. Noting that the impact of a lot of the work that has been done by the JSB and its sub groups is still unknown, she suggested that there be some means of assessing and monitoring the impact over the coming months.
• Marita Brack (MB) asked if there would be opportunities to feedback beyond the meeting, as Judy Thomson was unable to attend. MB also shared concerns that sometimes children and families are lost among the rest of the population and agreed that we need to ensure their voices are represented in any future governance structures.
• Roch Cantwell (RC) reflected the need to ensure that the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health voice is kept alive as we consider next steps.
• ND expressed her thanks for members reflections and agreed further feedback can be provided via email by 24 March, after which the chairs will write to members setting our next steps

Actions

• Secretariat – Share presentation slides with JSB members

• Whole Group – Share any further feedback regarding the JSB review by 24 March 2026

Perinatal Infant Mental Health Fund

ND invited Karen Galloway (KG) and Kaylie Allen (KA) from Inspiring Scotland to share a presentation to the group about the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Fund, funded by the Scottish Government.

KA and KG shared details on the PIMH Fund and its role in supporting third sector organisations in delivering services and also gave an overview of the most recent PIMH Fund Progress Report.

Discussion

• MC thanked KG and KA for their presentation and stated she was struck by how good the outcomes were and asked if there is any research done comparing and contrasting with Family Nurse Partnerships. KA was not  aware of such research but reported the outcomes had been consistent throughout the life of the fund.
• LC expressed interest in the increasing complexity of need from families and asked if there was any information from the fund recipients on whether that is because there is a buildup of need or waiting lists for health board or local authority services. LC asked if risk factors in individuals or families could be identified to facilitate early contact with health services. KG suggested that a buildup of need and waiting list times could both be contributing to the increased complexity but there was geographic variation. When families come into contact with services much earlier the outcomes are even stronger. KA  added that the longer some services are available, there is a build up of trust, relationships and awareness, leading to more referrals.
• RC highlighted that this work has been an inspiring programme over the last several years and has made a profound difference. The fund has also been an example of integration between third sector and statutory services and is a template and demonstration of how effective that can be.

Actions

• Secretariat – Share presentation slides with JSB members

Psychological Therapies and Workforce Update

ND invited Lynne Taylor from Scottish Government to share with the group an update on the Psychology Therapies and Workforce to complement Paper 4 that was shared with the JSB ahead of this meeting.

AOB

No other business was noted

Close

ND thanked members for their attendance at the meeting and for their contributions to the work of the JSB.