More young people across the Isle of Wight will get the mental health support they need thanks to a £201,000 funding boost for Early Support Hubs.
Early Support Hubs are community-based services, which provide drop-in mental health support for young people aged 11-25 with a range of issues, helping to prevent more severe mental illness without the need for a referral or doctor’s appointment.
The investment will allow existing hubs to expand services in local communities, delivering additional mental health and wellbeing interventions over the next 12 months. This could include counselling, group work, therapeutic support and specialist advice.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting has said:
“No young person should suffer in silence with their mental health. We’re investing in the wellbeing of the next generation, making sure every young person has the best start in life and the support they need to grow, to flourish, and to thrive.
“Early Support Hubs are already making a real difference and this funding boost will expand services to support more young people in communities across the Isle of Wight.
“Alongside this, we’re investing an extra £688 million in mental health services this year and are well on our way to recruiting 8,500 additional mental health workers across children’s and adult services.”
Findings from the Early Support Hubs programme will shape the government’s plans for the rollout Young Futures Hubs, informing how open-access mental health care is delivered in the future.
There is a high demand for mental health services within communities, such as Counselling in Nottingham. In 2023, approximately 1 in 5 people aged 8 to 25 years had a mental disorder.
Early Support Hubs, including Isle of Wight Youth Trust, are a step towards meeting that demand. Research also indicates the hubs attract groups that are less likely to engage with traditional NHS or school-based services, including older teenagers and those from an ethnic minority background.
