I have received many emails asking me to support the NSPCC's "It's Time" Campaign for victims of child abuse.
Childhood is precious and no child should ever be abused or neglected. We want to prevent these terrible crimes from happening and we must make sure every child gets the support they need.
Child victims of abuse will need a wide range of support to help them to recover from their ordeal. The Government's report, Future in Mind, sets out a vision to transform the future of mental health services for children and young people. Local areas have produced Local Transformation Plans to improve the way these services are commissioned and delivered. This transformation is being supported by £1.25 billion of additional government investment. It is expected, by 2020, that this will help an extra 70,000 children and young people every year.
The Government is also introducing a new waiting time standard for the treatment of young people with eating disorders as well as an extra £150 million of investment, to ensure that young people get the support they need, when they need it. I believe this is essential and key to a good recovery. The Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan recently announced a new mental health pilot scheme, working in hundreds of schools to make sure children and young people have better access to local specialist mental health provision and support that is consistent across services.
I am pleased that the Government has also set up the first ever cross-Government Ministerial Child Protection Taskforce to overhaul the way police, schools, social services and others work together in tackling this abuse. The taskforce's work will build on the Government's wide-ranging reforms to create a care system that puts children's needs first.
Children's mental health services are a pressing issue for many of my constituents. I have taken a close interest in mental health issues and provision and have spoken in the House of Commons on the matter. I see this very much as a local priority for me and I want to ensure that all children suffering from mental health issues, however caused, are promptly diagnosed and given the help and support that they and their families need.
Thank you for taking the time to contact me on this important issue.