We Support the Mind over matter Report's Recommendations for better Children and Young People’s Wellbeing and Mental Health

​The National Assembly for Wales Children, Young People and Education Committee released the results of their inquiry called Mind over matter in April 2018. The report aims to build on the work of the previous committee and explore in more detail what support is available for children and young people’s emotional well-being in Wales.

​We have written the below letter to Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething AM outlining our support for this reports recommendations. If you would like to sign this letter please click the button below.
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Dear Vaughan Gething AM,

​RE: We Support the Mind over matter Report's Recommendations for better Children and Young People’s Wellbeing and Mental Health
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The Mind over Matter inquiry makes one fundamental key recommendation; that the Welsh Government makes the emotional mental well-being and resilience of our children and young people a stated national priority. Psychologists for Social Change and the below signed support this recommendation, as well as the other 27 made in the report, and join the call for their implementation.

We particularly welcome the opportunity to include emotional well-being and resilience into the school curriculum. If embedded as a whole-school approach this learning could benefit pupils as well as teachers by supporting the creation of a well-being minded culture within schools and moving away from the current ‘exam factory’ mentality. Greater collaborative efforts across government and professionals, as suggested in the inquiry by head teachers, could support the development of this approach. We believe much could be gained from a genuine and properly resourced multi-agency approach, including a health, social, education, third sector and others joint response to tackling the issue of our children’s wellbeing. Additionally, we urge the government to ensure cross-governmental work on the whole-school approach is taken forward to support its implementation.

As well as a multi-disciplinary approach to service provision we believe services need to be embedded in the community rather than in clinic-based settings. Many children and young people are unable to access clinic-based services because they are unable to attract a medical model diagnosis. We support the development of the ‘missing middle’ based on Dr Gregory's ‘iceberg model of services’ which would use a multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) informed approach to service delivery. This would allow referrals to be assessed based on observed levels of distress rather than diagnostic labels.

We also support the call by the Royal College of Psychiatrists for improvements to data collection to aid our understanding of why the mental health of children and young people has worsened over recent years. This requires the inclusion of ‘non-diagnosed conditions’ and ‘other distress’ in the methodological approach used. We agree that this would be essential in developing a holistic prevalence picture. This data is also crucial in developing adequate prevention planning.

In light of the above considerations, we, the undersigned, call on Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething AM and the Welsh Government to implement the recommendations made in the Mind over matter report and make the wellbeing and mental health of children, young people in Wales a national priority.

Signed by:
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  1. Psychologists for Social Change South Wales
  2. Psychologists for Social Change North Wales
  3. Dr Adrian Neal, Chair on behalf of Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP) Wales
  4. Liz Slade Director SYSHP (Swansea Young Single Homeless Project )
  5. Sam Austin, Deputy Chief Executive, Llamau
  6. Carmen Smith, National Union of Students (NUS) Wales Acting President
  7. Gwyneth Sweatman, National Union of Students (NUS) Wales President Elect and Women's Officer
  8. Dr Kerry-Ann Holder, Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Head of Dept Child Health Psychology
  9. Allison Hulmes, Professional Officer British Association of Social Workers (BASW) Cymru
  10. Adam Johannes, Convenor, Cardiff People's Assembly
  11. Abyd Quinn Aziz MA Social Work Programme Director
  12. Morve Scriven, Professional Lead for Counselling ABUHB
  13. Jen Daffin, Clinical Psychologist in Training Cardiff University
  14. Dr Nicole Parish, Clinical Psychologist
  15. Dr Robert Searle Clinical Psychologist
  16. Dr Emma Johnston, Clinical Psychologist
  17. Matthew Yates, Clinical Psychologist in Training Cardiff University
  18. Louise Peters, Clinical Psychologist in Training Cardiff University
  19. Dr Sarah Brown, Clinical Psychologist
  20. Kim Jackson-Blott, Clinical Psychologist in Training Cardiff University
  21. Kiran Guye, Clinical Psychologist in Training Cardiff University
  22. Phillip Mitchell. Independent Social Worker
  23. Jonathan Harold Clinical Psychologist in Training Cardiff University
  24. Chris Owen, Teacher
  25. Sara Cooper Clinical Psychologist in Training Cardiff University
  26. Juliet Young, Assistant Psychologist
  27. Sian Davies, Head of Strategic Programmes, Mencap Cymru
  28. Alison O'Connor, Therapist
  29. Dr Sue Whitcombe, Counselling Psychologist
  30. Claire Jenkins
  31. Lydia Dramatherapist
  32. Dr Siwan Roberts, Senior Clinical Psychologist, BCUHB, North West Wales
  33. Clare Stoughton-Harris, Adoptive Parent
  34. Jim Wilson Systemic Psychotherapist
  35. Karen Hamer Specialist Mental Health Practitioner
  36. Dr Zoe Moss, Clinical Psychologist
  37. Dr Elanor Maybury, Consultant Clinical Psychologist
  38. Joanne Jenkins
  39. Dr Judith Storey, Clinical Psychologist
  40. Angela Webber Trainee Clinical Psychologist
  41. Misbah Gladwyn-Khan
  42. Cathy Mclellan, Clinical psychologist in training
  43. Carla Benton, Trainee Clinical Psychologist BCUHB
  44. Clare Carter, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
  45. Dr. Chris James Clinical Psychologist
  46. Siobhan Moore Clinical Psychologist in Training, Cardiff University
  47. Leah Davies
  48. Dee Montague
  49. Dr Jo Morgan Trainee Clinical Psychologist
  50. Leah Powell, Data Sourcing Manager
  51. Kat Rayson, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
  52. Emma Reynolds
  53. Alex Miller
  54. Lianne Williams Classroom Teacher
  55. Annon, Accounts Assistant
  56. C.Davies-Teacher
  57. Lizzie Summers, Clinical Psychologist in Training
  58. Dr. Claire Rockliffe-Fidler, Principal Clinical Psychologist for North Monmouthshire CMHT
  59. Dr Clare Nott, Clinical Psychologist ABUHB S-CAMHS
  60. Helen O'Shea, Consultant Clinical Psychologist
  61. Mrs E Williams
  62. Emma Harries
  63. Erika Lyons
  64. Dr Bronwen Davies, Clinical Psychologist
  65. Dr Cerith Waters, Clinical Psychologist
  66. Lyndon chaney, Parent
  67. Kate Jobbins, Assistant Psychologist
  68. Genine Bagley Systemic Psychotherapist
  69. Dr. Katie Ann Elliott
  70. Dr Elin Walker Jones, Seicolegydd Clinigol Ymgynghorol
  71. Dr Caroline Jones Uwch Seicolegydd Clinigol
  72. ​Dr Naomi Swift, Clinical Psychologist
  73. Meg
  74. Emma Harris - Policy and Communications Officer - Samaritans Cymru
  75. Dr Gemma Burns Clinical Psychologist
  76. Dr Annette Leponis
  77. Linda Hutchings, Support, Time and Recovery Worker
  78. Amber Simler, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
  79. James Tucker, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
  80. Sophie Ayling Counsellor Cardiff Mind
  81. Sara Atkins
  82. Stephen Atkins
  83. Pam Perkins
  84. Jane Pesticcio
  85. Ceri Reed - Parent in CAMHS WAles
  86. Rachel Robjohn
  87. Emma barrett - mum of 11 yr old with ASD and mental health issues
  88. Claire Campbell-Adams
  89. Dr Libby Erin, Clinical Psychologist
  90. Gail Preece
  91. Deborah Styled
  92. Nicola Jones, Foster Carer
  93. Catherine C

Submitted to WG 17/6/2018 with 72 names
​Updated 11/12/2018
Photo used under Creative Commons from montessori toolkit