Response to the SEN green paper - YoungMinds

Collaboration could have a positive impact on services for children in care. It would behelpful if there was a link with foster placements – both independent foster agencies andlocal authority.As mentioned above, greater collaboration between CAMHS, the school and other agencieswould be helpful in effectively planning, commissioning and delivering the comprehensiverange of CAMHS services.Question 55: What are the ways in which a Community Budget approachmight help to improve the ways in which services for children and youngpeople with SEN or who are disabled and their families are delivered?Funding issues often impede integrated working. The Community Budget approach shouldencourage professionals to work in an integrated way rather than silo working.Question 57: What are the areas where the voluntary and community sector couldhave the greatest positive impact on services for children and young people with SENor who are disabled and their families, and what are the ways we can facilitate this?CVS organisations can have a big impact on services for children and young people withSEN or disabilities. They can provide direct support for children, young people and parents.For instance, our Parents Helpline provides free help and support for parents/carers who areconcerned about their child’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. In 2009 39% of thecalls to the helpline were connected to educational or school issues. So CVS services suchas our helpline provide vital support for many parents who may otherwise be struggling.It is important that teachers and school staff receive training to help them provide the bestpossible environment and support for children and young people with SEN or disabilities.CVS services such as YoungMinds can help to provide training in important areas such asevidence based interventions, emotional wellbeing and cognitive development, emotionalcontainment for pupils, and developing the knowledge base of emotional or cognitivedevelopment and their role in relationship to learning. However, good quality training is notfree, so training needs to be funded in some way. Also, schools have to be able to releaseteachers and school staff for training.Teachers and school staff need to keep up to date. CVS organisations can help todisseminate the latest research in neuroscience regarding development and learning in anaccessible way. For instance YoungMinds produces accessible booklets and leaflets onmental health issues, and our YoungMinds Magazine is aimed at a general audience. Liketraining, publications have a cost attached to them, so need funding.