8. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to improve mental health services for young people? OQ63871

Sorry, I needed to be unmuted. Our all-age 10-year mental health and well-being strategy, published last April, outlines how we will improve access to mental health support. This includes transforming our mental health services to provide same-day access to support and how young people access that support.

Thanks for your response, Minister. You recently stated that young people are now getting mental health support more quickly. Sadly, I’ve been informed of a young girl with additional learning needs where this has not been the case. Due to continual let-downs by Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board, she has no mental health support as CAMHS refuse to engage or follow up on her guardian’s concerns. Due to further let-downs by the local authority, she only has one hour of education per day. Her family has been told that there are no SEND places, and the social workers have been unable to provide the help she needs due to workload pressures. Due to let-downs by her primary school, not only has she waited two years for a referral for an individual development plan, she is now halfway through another two-year wait for an IDP. Minister, this young girl is 13 years old. She has been unable to leave her home for two years, she is now sadly self-harming, and she’s been unable to receive schooling for over four years. Minister, frankly, this is a shameful state of affairs, so what is the Welsh Government doing to ensure no young person like my constituent here falls through the cracks? 

Thank you so much, Natasha, for that question. Obviously, I won't be able to comment on individual cases in this today. However, I'm very happy to follow up on that with you. It sounds like this is definitely going to require that multi-agency approach. I also welcome your question as well, because of course it was Children's Mental Health Week last week, and that theme was ‘This is my place’, and it emphasised that sense of belonging and touches on what you said there, because it's about how we all need that human connection, otherwise it impacts on our mental health and our education and our relationships. I also often refer to our own Welsh Youth Parliament's ‘Young Minds Matter' mental health report, and they said, again, that a lot of the reasons why they struggle with mental health are work and exams, relationships with friends and family, and then also browsing on and being targeted or trolled on social media, another issue I know you're very passionate about.

I did want to say, of course, I'm very happy to take up and look into that individual case, but as of this morning, the December data that's been published shows that the vast Majority—that's 94.3 per cent of young people referred to local primary mental health support services—were assessed within 28 days, and with the waiting times target at an all-Wales level being achieved for the last 20 months. But not only that, 87 per cent of therapeutic interventions were also started within 28 days. And at the end of December 2025, all health boards met the assessment waiting times target for young people referred to local primary mental health support services. That does demonstrate significant improvements have been made in therapeutic waiting times following the assessment, with the target being achieved on an all-Wales level in the last two months.

I also wanted to touch on some other key asks that the Welsh Youth Parliament had. They wanted a one-stop shop for information, resources and support, and they wanted more places in the community, local support hubs. I think from what you're saying, your constituent would also benefit from these. I also just wanted to highlight the ‘alternative to admission’ pilot scheme that we funded as part of the Welsh Government, which is now about to be reported on after a very thorough consultation. I've been to the ones in Barry and Cardiff, and there are also spaces in Swansea. These have really been able to show that, with children being able to have somewhere safe to go, adults to be able to connect with, focus and attention, they are thriving, and it is preventing those referrals into CAMHS. I'm really hopeful now that, as you were saying, we have the health boards, we have the local authorities, education, regional partnership boards and the third sector working together so that we can provide those spaces, not only for children and young people, but also for their parents.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary and the Ministers.