GB-LONDON: Effective transition from children's to adult's mental health services

The LGA is the membership organisation for local authorities in England and Wales. We work to promote local government on a national stage, and to support councils to deliver on their responsibilities and work effectively as leaders of place.

The LGA's Business Plan 2019/22 outlines the areas in which we prioritise our support for councils. Several of these are directly linked to mental health, including: •Councils lead the way in shaping communities where people feel safe

•Councils protect children's wellbeing and keep them safe

•Councils have a central role in promoting health and wellbeing locally

•Councils work actively with the NHS to build health and care services around the needs of local population

For the LGA, children and young people's and adult mental health is an absolute priority. Councils have responsibilities around children's mental health through their children's services and public health services, as well as their role on health and wellbeing boards and as local system leaders. Councils also have statutory responsibilities for adults with mental health disorders through their adult social care duties. In addition, councils are likely to interact with children, young people and adults with mental health conditions through a range of the local services they provide and their responsibilities, from housing and homelessness to their role as a major local employer.

A Local Government Association conference in 2019 looked at what works for support to transitions between children's and adults services and found that for mental health: 'We need to adopt models of pastoral support rather than just medical support through children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and we need to utilise our existing non-CAMHS workforce'.

Transitions between services continue to be a challenge for services and we want to develop resources that helps councils understand their roles and learn from other councils on how they can support young people during this important time.

Additional information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.