Just over £4m has been invested in improving mental health support for children and young people in the Isle of Man.

The investment has tackled waiting lists and transformed services, ensuring more young people are receiving the right support at the right time.

The island’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) has experienced unprecedented demand in recent years which had led to a significant increase in waiting times.

In December 2024 we reported how the service was being ‘overwhelmed’ by inquiries from families about assessment and treatment.

At the start of the CAMHS Transformation Project, 819 young people were on the waiting list, with many facing delays of up to two and a half years for neurodiverse assessments.

All 819 were contacted and 616 young people (64%) received assessments.

Impressively, 703 young people (86%) have now been either discharged or are actively receiving treatment.

Manx Care said this work has contributed to a significant reduction in waiting times, with neurodiverse assessments dropping from 2.5 years to around one year, a meaningful improvement for families seeking timely support.

It said that the project to improve mental health support for children and young people had reached a ‘major milestone’.

The investment has included a partnership with Isle Listen to launch a single point of access service called Talk, which provides psychological support for young people with mild to moderate mental health needs.

Ross Bailey, general manager for Integrated Mental Health Services, said: ’This £4m investment has been fundamental in allowing us to transform how children and young people access mental health support.

‘By reducing waiting times, strengthening early intervention and working closely with partners such as Isle Listen’s Talk Service, we are seeing real and lasting improvements for families across the island.’

Announced in June 2024, the £4m funding was secured to reduce long waits for assessment and treatment, strengthen early intervention, and improve access to psychological support for children and young people.

In several parts of the UK, average waiting times for ADHD assessments extend to approximately four years, and autism assessments to around two and a half years.

In contrast, routine neurodiversity assessments in the Isle of Man are now typically complete within one year.

Since its launch in June 2025, Talk has quickly become a vital part of the support system.

Between June and December last year, it received 906 referrals of which 403 were accepted by Talk and 296 referred to CAMHS. Some 63 were signposted to other appropriate services.

Crucially, Talk has helped streamline access, achieving an average referral-to-assessment time of just six days, and nine days from assessment to treatment pathway; setting a new standard for timely mental health care.

Andrea Chambers, CEO of Isle Listen said: ‘This programme has shown the real impact of early intervention and joined-up working, ensuring children and young people can access the right support quickly and without unnecessary barriers.’

The CAMHS waiting list project concluded in January this year, but the Talk service continues.