The government will struggle to reject an amendment from peers
that stops children being placed in adult wards, says charity Young
Minds.
Young Minds senior policy officer Kathryn Pugh said that if the
government was to pride itself on supporting children's issues then
it had to back the amendment.
The government tabled its own amendment in the Lords to give 16-
and 17-year-olds the right to refuse treatment, against the wishes
of their parents. It has also agreed to look at introducing extra
safeguards over the use of electro-convulsive therapy on
under-18s.
And it has also promised to look at ensuring mental health
tribunals consult a child mental health specialist in children's
cases.
The bill and approved mental
health practitioners
Concerns have also been raised over plans
in the bill to replace approved social workers with approved mental
health professionals, who could be drawn from other
professions.
The British Association of Social Workers
wants the new professionals to be accountable to councils, rather
than the health trusts responsible for detaining patients. BASW
said guidance attached to the bill could prevent local authorities
from completely handing over their AMHP service.
Further information
Young Minds - The Mental Health Bill
Contact the author
Simeon Brody