£1 million available for projects to transform services for young people suffering from mental illness

Health, education and social care providers are today invited to apply for funding to support projects that will help improve the lives of children and young people (up to 18 years old) affected by mental illness.

Applications can be made to the Children’s and Young People’s mental Health Innovation Fund which aims to encourage innovation in the development of mental health services to children and young people.

£1 million funding has been awarded to Health Education England (HEE) from the Department of Health (DH) to distribute to organisations proposing care innovations that put young patients at the centre of mental health services.

Professor Lisa Bayliss-Pratt, Director of Nursing and Deputy Director of Education and Quality said:

I am excited by this innovative fund as it will provide a wonderful opportunity for organisations - be they NHS or private providers, commissioners, researchers or those working in social care settings, to introduce and enhance services to transform the lives of children and young people and their families through a variety of local innovative schemes.

The launch comes on the back of our recent commitment and backing to establishing a firm strategic direction for nurse development and training. All endorsed by the recommendations from the Shape of Caring review, which of course includes important areas of mental health and learning disability nursing.

This additional funding means that children, young people and their families can get the tailored support they need through the delivery of improved, more accessible mental health and wellbeing services to ensure they are not only well-supported, but thrive, which will transform the care and lives of many across the country.

Minister for Mental Health Alistair Burt said:

Children and young people's mental health is a priority for me.

From making services more accessible to young people, to trialling brand new apps or online services, this fund is an opportunity for NHS services to develop new approaches that work for children and young people.

We are investing £1.4 billion over this Parliament in children’s mental health – that’s one of the largest investments the sector has ever seen. Every local area in this country has developed a plan to transform their offer to children and young people and are working together to make things better.

Projects that would be eligible include:

• Innovative delivery of services
• Workforce transformation required to support Future in Mind
• Innovation in new ways of working - for instance in the support and development of volunteers and carers
• Service transformation to meet the needs of groups of vulnerable children and young people
• New roles which seek to meet the workforce challenges posed by Service Transformation Plans
• New teaching methods, materials or environments
• Innovation to address local workforce development or skills issues that are blocking the development of new delivery pathways or wider service change.

To apply for funding or for further information on the scheme, applicants should visit the application area of the HEE website.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 17:00 on Friday 15 January 2016.