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A new study by the University of Cambridge and the National Children’s Bureau shows serious issues when children and young people with social work involvement for current concerns or experiencing poverty try to access mental health services (CAMHS).

Children in most need of specialist mental health support often turned away because their situation is too unstable

Three NIHR Research Schools' Mental Health Masters Award holder, Julia Mannes, shares findings from her NIHR Three Research Schools MPhil have been launched as part of the Children at the Table campaign with the National Children’s Bureau.

A new study by the University of Cambridge and the National Children’s Bureau shows serious issues when children and young people with social work involvement for current concerns or experiencing poverty try to access mental health services (CAMHS).

The analysis of over 71,000 health records shows that children and young people who are being supported by social workers or are on child protection plans were far more likely to be rejected by CAMHS than their peers, and not get the treatment and support they may urgently need.

These findings have been welcomed by the Children’s Charities Coalition (comprising Action for Children, Barnardo’s, The Children’s Society, National Children’s Bureau and NSPCC) as part of the #ChildrenAtTheTable campaign.

It presents independent research funded by the NIHR School for Primary Care Research as part of the Three NIHR Research Schools Mental Health Programme (award number MHF049), the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme (project reference NIHR134922), the British Academy, Foundations, and Wellcome (218025/A/19/Z).

Read more / Read highlight on BBC News