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<p>We are making an additional £1.4 billion available in order to transform services,
which includes our ambition for an additional 70,000 children and young people a year
to receive access to specialist mental health services by 2020/21. Clinical commissioning
group (CCG) spending on children and young people’s mental health increased by 20%
from £516 million in 2015/16 to £619 million in 2016/17 and the latest refresh of
the National Health Service mandate now requires for all CCGs to meet the Mental Health
Investment Standard. To build on this, our recent joint health and education Green
Paper aims to improve provision of services in schools, bolster links between schools
and the NHS and pilot a four week waiting time.</p><p>In terms of the impact of social
media on children and young people’s mental health, evidence has shown links between
certain increases in social media use and poorer mental health. However it is not
clear whether increased use causes poorer mental health, or whether poorer mental
health drives an increase in use of social media.</p><p>To better understand the relationship
between social media use and the mental health of children and young people, the Chief
Medical Officer is leading a systematic review in the area. The review will inform
a report from the Chief Medical Officer, expected for publication next year.</p><p>The
Department has also commissioned NHS Digital to undertake a Children and Young People’s
Mental Health Survey to examine the prevalence of mental disorders. The survey report
is planned to include a topic on mental health prevalence in relation to a number
of behaviours including social media and cyber-bullying, and is expected for publication
in autumn 2018.</p>
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