Briefings and responses

Research has shown that on average, people with a learning disability and autistic people die earlier than the general public, and do not receive the same quality of care as people without a learning disability or people who are not autistic.

A rise in mental health problems in children and young people in recent years, exacerbated by COVID-19, has placed additional pressures on services and has hindered progress in reaching access targets. Targets set to improve the quality of care within inpatient settings, and to reduce their use in the long term, not been met.

The arts make a significant contribution to the economy and society. The LGA’s Commission on Culture and Local Government drew together evidence of its contribution to resilient places, economic recovery, social mobility and addressing health inequalities.

We need to ensure that children and young people can also access high-quality mental health support outside of school. Many children and young people face challenges accessing support for their mental health. Patchy implementation of policies has also fuelled a postcode lottery in provision meaning that children and young people do not get a consistent offer of support.

School-based counselling and mental health support needs to be fully funded by the Government in all state-funded secondary schools and academies, to help support rising numbers of children and young people reporting mental health issues.

Local government is committed to innovative community engagement with residents to identify key issues in their communities and co-produce solutions. Many councils have adopted methodologies such as citizens’ assemblies, juries and panels to help engage with voices and communities who might otherwise not be heard.