Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater hears harrowing accounts of crisis in young people’s mental health services

Around 30 people attended a round table meeting on May 25 organised by Batley and Spen MP Kim Leadbeater in which they outlined their frustrations at the way services have been fragmented and eroded – and how vulnerable young people have been repeatedly let down.

Offering emotional and sometimes harrowing testimonies, they spoke of children and teenagers locked into cycles of self-harm and repeated suicide attempts, with considerable knock-on effects for parents, siblings, and other family members.

There were significant concerns around lengthy waiting lists and the lack of early intervention which, if introduced, could prevent mental health issues from worsening.

And there was a sizable focus on depleted NHS and local authority resources, which has seen staffing shrink and levels of key support radically reduced.

One speaker said: “We are made to feel like inadequate parents. We are left to our own devices due to lack of support caused by lack of resources.”

Another speaker said: “Systems are absolutely broken. It’s appalling. There is turnover of staff, no continuity of care, and no communication.”

Also present were health professionals who said it was difficult to retain staff due to low wages and that the complexities involved in the children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) meant that recruitment was a constant struggle.

Kim has written to the government minister responsible for mental health about the lack of support to tackle the crisis.

Speaking after the roundtable Kim said: “I thank all those who came and shared their stories, and for their courage in doing so.

“We are truly in the midst of a mental health crisis that affects so many of our young people and their families, including parents having to give up work to care for their children.

“This cycle has to end. The government must invest in mental health services because by not addressing them other problems are caused which, in turn, will further overwhelm our NHS as well as overburdened local authorities.”