Question reference: S5W-33076
- Asked by: Mary Fee, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 5 November 2020
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Current status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 19 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £15 million of funding announced on 2 November 2020 to respond to children and young people’s mental health issues is in addition to the £17 million of funding that was announced in September 2019 for children and young people’s community wellbeing support and services.
Answer
On 3 September 2019 the First Minister announced £17 million of additional funding over 2020-21 and 2021-22 for use on community mental health and wellbeing services for 5-24 year olds. In line with that announcement, an initial sum of £2m was allocated to local authorities in March 2020 to enable the development of new and enhanced community mental health and wellbeing services for 5-24 year olds, their families and carers.
The pandemic understandably impacted on local authorities’ planning and delivery and as a result services will not start until January 2021. There is £3.75 million in the 2020-21 budget to fund these services and £15 million is expected to be available for 2021-22, assuming services are fully in place.
The Cabinet Secretary for Health’s announcement on 2 November 2020, confirmed the allocation of the £3.75 million in 2020-21 for new and enhanced community mental health and wellbeing services, in addition to announcing a new fund.
The new fund of £11.25m is for local authorities to provide community mental health and wellbeing services for 5-24 year olds, their families and carers impacted by the pandemic. This fund is more reactive than the former which has a greater focus on prevention and early intervention.
Table 1 – Scottish Government funding to local authorities for the delivery of community mental health and wellbeing services for 5-24 year olds.
Scottish Government Budget | 2019 -20 | 2020- 21 | 2021 -22 |
Community Wellbeing Services for 5-24 year olds | 2M | £3.75M | £15M* |
Pandemic funding for Wellbeing Services for 5-24 year olds | £11.25M |
*Subject to services being in place