The independent Fonagy Review has highlighted rising levels of mental health difficulties among young people, reinforcing the importance of accessible, timely support.
The review found that the prevalence of common mental health conditions among 16–24-year-olds has risen from around one in six in 1993 to one in four in 2024. It also highlights that a diagnosis should not be the only route to accessing support.
At YPAS, we understand that every young person’s experience is different. Challenges with mental health and emotional wellbeing can be influenced by relationships, family life, education and wider pressures. Knowing where to turn for help can sometimes be difficult, particularly when support feels out of reach.
The findings reinforce the importance of early intervention and community-based services that listen to young people, recognise their individual needs and help them access support before difficulties become more complex.
Monique Collier, Chief Executive of YPAS, said: “The Fonagy Review gives national recognition to what young people and services have been telling us for years: distress is real and rising, and too many young people are left waiting until they meet a threshold or receive a diagnosis before help is available. Support should start when a young person needs it. That means investing in accessible, community-based early support hubs in every local authority area, where young people can access timely emotional and practical help without a referral, alongside support in schools and specialist NHS services. The #FundTheHubs campaign, led by Youth Access, has made the case for this since 2020.
At YPAS, we see the value of the early support hub model in practice. Across Merseyside, we bring together information, advice, wellbeing and therapeutic support for children, young people and families. Through our Open Access – Walk-In Support Hubs, people can seek same-day help without an appointment or referral; our wider services offer different kinds of support and routes to further help when needed. This joined-up, community-based approach recognises that a young person’s emotional wellbeing is connected to their relationships, family life, education, and wider circumstances.
YPAS welcomes the Review’s focus on prevention and early intervention. The next step is sustained investment and action, shaped with young people, so access to support does not depend on where you live.”
As a Merseyside charity supporting children, young people and families, YPAS remains committed to providing safe, supportive spaces where young people can be heard, understood and helped to navigate life’s challenges.
Read more about the review and its implications for young people’s mental health:
- Fonagy review finds real and rising distress amongst young people | Youth Access
- The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition’s response to The Prevalence Review | CYPMHC
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/publication-fonagy-review-today-should-mark-turning-point-q4tye/
Every young person deserves the right support at the right time.