Supporting the Petition on CAMHS Waiting Times

Families across Newbury, Thatcham, and West Berkshire know all too well the strain that long waits for children’s mental health support can place on young people. One of our constituents, Tom, has launched a national petition calling for an inquiry into unacceptable delays in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).

The petition, 'Hold an inquiry into CAMHS and NHS children’s mental health delays', highlights serious failures in access, timeliness, and consistency of care. It notes that many children face long waits for CAMHS and NHS mental health support, often unable to attend school during this period. It also details postcode‑based variation in access to treatment and GP prescribing, the impact on Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and the financial pressure this places on local authorities.

Tom’s petition has already gained over 30,000 signatures, demonstrating widespread public concern.

Why This Matters

The Government itself acknowledges that children and young people face long waits, variable quality of care, and persistent inequalities in mental health services. Their official response admits that “much more needs to be done,” even though they currently have no plans to open an inquiry.

Locally, SEND and children’s mental health remain pressing issues raised with me and my team. I have recently joined a roundtable session with some local parents and have submitted a Written Parliamentary Question on CAMHS and SEND. We are awaiting the formal response.

How You Can Support

You can find out more about the petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/748695