Children’s mental health, SEND and access to support.

Written evidence by William Gomes, also published as William Nicholas Gomes.

Why does support too often arrive at crisis point?

The submission argues that delayed identification, restrictive eligibility thresholds and fragmented services can contribute to avoidable deterioration. Its analysis considers how difficulties associated with autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions may obscure emerging mental health needs, leaving families to navigate repeated assessments and disconnected referral pathways.

Gomes examines the interaction between schools, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), the NHS and local authorities. He questions whether diagnosis-led access requirements and separate commissioning arrangements allow children to receive timely support. The evidence frames these problems as questions of institutional design and accountability, rather than treating every difficulty as an inevitable feature of a child’s neurodevelopmental profile.

Recommendations in the submission.

• Strengthen early neurodevelopmental identification in education through validated screening, trained staff and clear referral pathways.
• Base access to mental health support on need, without requiring families to wait for a completed neurodevelopmental assessment.
• Develop joint commissioning, pooled budgets and coordinated assessment across education, health and care.
• Assess outcomes for children and families, with effective routes for scrutiny and enforcement.
• Invest in specialist workforce training on diagnostic overshadowing and adapted mental health support.

Read the original evidence.

This overview summarises William Gomes’s submitted analysis and recommendations. Publication as written evidence does not imply endorsement by Parliament or a committee. Consult the official CYM0020 submission on Parliament’s website for the full argument, references and qualifications.

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