Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Debate between Lord Roberts of Llandudno and Lord O'Shaughnessy

Wednesday 24th October 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord O’Shaughnessy]

The noble Baroness makes a very important point. There are 70 new or enhanced community eating disorder services. The intention is that they should serve over 3,300 children and young people every year.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

My Lords, what consideration is being given to refugee children who come with tremendous trauma from the camps in Dunkirk and Calais? Is any consideration given to them and the threat that when they reach the age of 18, their status changes and they can face deportation? Can we not do something to relieve that anxiety?

[Lord O’Shaughnessy]

As I hope the noble Lord will know, refugee children have as much right to access these services as other children. I should also point out that a new mental health assessment trial is being funded by the Department for Education specifically to design mental health assessments for looked-after children of all kinds, including refugee children.

General Practitioners: Workforce

Debate between Lord Roberts of Llandudno and Lord O'Shaughnessy

Monday 5th March 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

That is an evolving model, as the noble Lord has pointed out, and I will write to him with the exact figures. The partnership model has an enduring popularity and importance, which is why the Secretary of State has asked for a review of it. However, as we see new models of care develop, I am sure that salaried GPs will become more of a feature of the system.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

My Lords, many refugee medical trainees are coming over. Is there no way that we could help them finish their medical courses and then deploy their skills in this country before it is safe for them to return to their country of origin?

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

The noble Lord has asked that question before. He will be pleased to know that there is specific help for refugees and others through waiving fees for language courses and other elements of the professional qualification process, and we can bring those into practice as soon as possible.

Mental Health: Children’s Services

Debate between Lord Roberts of Llandudno and Lord O'Shaughnessy

Thursday 19th January 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

The noble and learned Baroness may know that over the past five years I have been setting up primary free schools, with an explicit focus on developing character, well-being and resilience in young people, so I could not agree with her more—it has to start early. Indeed, it does not have to start in primary; it must start in early years and, of course, it must start with parenting and giving parents the skills that they need to teach resilience in their children.

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno (LD)]

Is the Minister aware that half the immigrant children in the Calais or Dunkirk camps were diagnosed with mental health problems? As we are supposed to accept 20,000 refugees in the next three years, is there sufficient funding and awareness of the need to add to our commitment?

[Lord O'Shaughnessy]

I was not aware of that fact, but it is clearly an important one and I shall write to the noble Lord with the information about what we are doing to support those children who come to this country.