Nursery World - Survey highlights gap in provision for babies and infant mental health

Babies and toddlers are often overlooked in mental health provision for children, according to a new report, which suggests that only half of CAMHS services accept referrals for children aged two and under.

Babies and toddlers are often forgotten in children and young people's mental health services, according to the Parent-Infant Foundation PHOTO Adobe Stock

Findings from an online workforce survey, carried out by the Parent-Infant Foundation for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week, highlight concerning gaps in provision in mental health services for babies and toddlers.

Only half of NHS children and young people’s mental health services take referrals for children two and under, according to the findings, which the foundation said confirmed that they often do not even cater for, or accept referrals for babies and toddlers - what it calls 'a baby blindspot'.

The charity say that children and young people’s mental health should refer to the mental health of all children from 0-18 (or 0-25), but too often it is focussed on older children.

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