9th September 2025

It’s been five years since the Youth Commission for Mental Health Services (YCMHS) released a groundbreaking report on improving children and young people's mental health.

Written by 21 young people aged 15 to 25, and containing more than 100 recommendations, the report aimed to influence Scotland's mental health care and policy. It was a time of optimism when it felt like there was real momentum behind improving the mental health of young people throughout our country.

However, freshly published research into the implementation of the recommendations reflects what many of us who care about mental health already suspected and feared.

Scotland’s national mental health charity, SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health), Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland (CYPCS) and Young Scot commissioned the research which found that there has been very little progress made, and that it was challenging to access key information.

The research report includes a comment from a former Youth Commissioner which summed the findings up perfectly: “It’s a bit disappointing, because it was such a positive moment coming to the end of it for everyone…things were going to change, and to now be like, well – what change is happening, we’re not seeing the change, the chatter’s gone.”

As a member of SAMH’s Young People’s Panel (YPP), made up of a dedicated group of 12-25-year-olds who are united by their passion to transform youth mental health in Scotland, it’s particularly disappointing to see the limited access to information.

The YPP, with its aims closely aligned with previous recommendations accepted by the Scottish Government, has been focused on improving young people's mental health across Scotland, with a particular interest in access to services and education. We have dedicated our time and effort to innovations, campaigns and policy to improve mental wellbeing and access to services. Every member of the Panel has committed two years of their own time to a cause we all believe in. This massive effort, bringing several groups of people from across Scotland together, has been challenging. But every single person involved has been so incredibly inspiring, hard-working, and compassionate.

In reaction to this report, the lack of transparency and data is incredibly discouraging; young people expect better from the Scottish Government, and ultimately, this lack of transparency only hurts young people's trust in the Scottish Government. Hearing from former Youth Commissioners who contributed to this report, hearing how they feel left out, they feel disenfranchised, and as their efforts have been forgotten, is saddening.

I have seen firsthand how mental health has declined amongst my friends and colleagues, and in my community, over the past six years. We work hard to make a difference, but I fear decline has become the new norm.

Reports like this, where the data is inconsistent and mediocre, are all too common.

If the Scottish Government wishes to help Scotland's young people, trust and transparency must be at the center of their approach. As demonstrated through the work of YCMHS and SAMH YPP, young people want their voices heard and are eager to work with the Scottish Government. However, this enthusiasm is hard to sustain when it is difficult for young people to see what the Government has improved and what changes have been implemented. Especially as the YPP has focused its efforts towards education, to see previous innovations and campaigns seemingly underreported and not prioritised is disheartening.

The Scottish Government must provide more data on their progress with the recommendations it accepted; this should be readily available for young people. The Scottish Government must do more to show that children and young people’s mental health is a genuine priority for them.

Scotland’s young people expect – and deserve – nothing less.

Cameron is a member of our Young People's Panel, who work together to drive meaningful action and change for youth mental health in Scotland.