Policy Proposal 8: Co-design a more collaborative pathway through mental health support for young people

This requires sustainably resources and appropriately funded advocates to support and empower young people seeking mental health support to use their voice. Advocates should also be trained in co-production and encourage the co-design of mental healthcare provision.

• Advocate roles that support the young person and help bridge the gap between young people and professionals should be created and funded across the system. This should be supported by ensuring that the system works together, rather than expecting an advocate to navigate a fragmented and siloed system.

• Advocates should be trained in shared decision making, co-production and supporting young people to make and share their care record tool, referred to in Policy Issue 1.

• People with experience of the mental health system should be given priority to take these roles, as paid peer advocates.

• Young people should be involved in co-designing job descriptions for advocates; young people should also have choice in which advocates they work with: culturally appropriate, representative, etc. 

• The use of advocates in the mental health system should not then become another bureaucratic barrier to young people seeking support.