The lack of services for mental health issues for young peoples Mental Health. 

Hi,

We are trying to get our message out there, please help us xxx

It's all about the children.

We are doing this for our young 💚

 

Please read the following and thank you for taking the time to read it.

 Thank you xxx

 Rob & Lisa Collins   

 

Robert Collins, family and friends have reached Downing Street by walking from their son Mitch's memorial bench at Wolverley Secondary school to raise awareness of the petition to introduce MitchsLaw for our young peoples Mental health 💚 by placing counsellors in schools to elevate CAMHS referrals. 

Mitch sadly lost his battle Easter Sunday 2019. We don't want any child, friend, anyone to go through what we have.

https://youtu.be/JDGWenrVzgE?si=FvIU2bDbLc_Ri0Mw

"As of early 2026, CAMHS waiting lists remain critically high, with over 550,000 children and young people in England waiting for mental health treatment, of which 53% have waited over a year. Despite NHS targets to clear backlogs, many face waits exceeding two years, driven by record referrals and high service thresholds.

Key Data and Trends in 2026

Waiting Times: In some cases, young people wait over two and a half years (976 days) for care.

Volume: Around 550,610 young people are on waiting lists in England.

Referrals: Referrals continue to rise, with one region seeing an 17.6% increase in a single quarter, bringing total waits there to over 4,000.

Long-Term Delays: In 2023/24, 78,577 young people waited over a year, with 34,191 waiting more than two years.

Impact: Long waits are causing worsened symptoms, with reports suggesting some young people are turning to AI chatbots for support.

England: Average waiting times for mental health support have reached record highs, with some young people waiting an average of 304 days (roughly 10 months). Nearly 30% of young people wait almost a full year (359 days) to start treatment.

Target vs. Reality: The official ambition is for 90% of children to begin treatment within 18 weeks of referral, but this is frequently missed, with many young people waiting an average of 359 days"

The above is sadly not a new development.

 

What is MitchsLaw and what are the benefits.

 

Mental health counsellors to be placed in an educational setting. Predominantly schools, then reaching colleges.

A cross political party commitment to provide a funding pot for charity mental health workers to claim for resources and salary.

 

Our aim is :

provide early intervention

teach strategies

provide early support

someone to talk too

someone who listens and understands

early warning signs will be apparent

relieve the pressure on teaching staff and TA's

engage learning

reduce CAMHS referrals 

reduce CAMHS waiting times

ease the pressure on CAMHS

reduce demand on emergency services

save NHS money

provide more support for families who's young person is struggling

help to prevent suicide

 

The long term benefits:

lower Adult referrals

a larger reduction in the demand on emergency services

strategies already learnt

support already provided

lower waiting times for NHS services.

Adult services below.

"As of early 2026, adult mental health services in England face significant pressures, with an estimated 1.7 million people on waiting lists. While general NHS elective waiting lists have fallen, mental health patients frequently face long delays, with some reporting waits over three years for talking therapies. 

British Medical Association +1

Key 2026 Mental Health Waiting List Trends

Long Delays: Some trusts report, for instance, in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, waits exceeding 1,160 days (over three years).

High Demand: Increased awareness has led to higher demand, which services are not fully resourced to meet, resulting in high thresholds for care.

Regional Variation: Data from 2026 shows significant disparity, with some areas having over 59% of patients waiting more than 90 days for appointments.

Waitlist Statistics: The mental health backlog is estimated at 1.7 million people.

Pressure Impacts: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) reported in January 2026 that long waits are causing patients to become more unwell while waiting, and they face higher thresholds to even get on a waiting list."

 

The "WALK" began 28th March 2026 and was completed Saturday 12th April 2026 covering 126 miles.

If you agree and feel change is needed, have your say, please sign and share our petition 💚

don't let our young struggle in this ever changing world. 

 

Facebook ·

Robert Collins :https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100041721106079&locale=en_GB

 Mitch Collins New: https://www.facebook.com/mitch.collinsnew/photos_by?locale=en_GB

Mitch's Law : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10