On 29th October 2019 guests packed into Westminster’s Jubilee Room for the launch of a Charter to redress the historic neglect of children within successive Mental Health Acts that have never prioritised their needs.
Campaign Manager Helen Clark, along with PTUK’s Monika Jephcott and Jeff Thomas, were delighted with the mix of politicians, guests and speakers
A General Election was announced on the same day and the subsequent comprehensive victory for Boris Johnson’s Conservatives, on 12th December 2019, meant an end to the uncertainty of the previous year.
In the Queen’s Speech of 16th December 2019 the Prime Minister announced his intention to reform the outdated 1983 Mental Health Act.
But there was no mention of the urgent needs of children, so phase 2 of the Child Mental Health Charter Campaign began right there and then. Of course, at that point no one realised that COVID-19 was waiting round the corner, putting everything on hold, and as we come out of the enforced lockdown we look back to the launch of the Charter so that we can forge ahead with renewed enthusiasm. Post-lockdown, children need to be prioritised more than ever.