Sinn Féin’s MLA Órlaithí Flynn said the institutions need back up and running to give our health services political leadership and better support for children and their families who are crying out for help.

The party’s mental health spokesperson said:

“It is extremely worrying to learn that over the past three years, there has been an increase of 1255 children waiting on a mental health assessment, with 1086 children waiting more than nine weeks.

“This is happening at a time when our frontline mental health services are under attack from eye watering Tory cuts.

“The new Mental Health plan provides a pathway to improve the mental health services so urgently needed by families who are suffering and finding it hard to get help.

“However, this cannot be progressed due to the DUP’s boycott of the institutions as additional funding will be needed from the Executive.

“I have requested a meeting with the Department of Health to discuss how we tackle the growing crisis within children’s mental health services.

“We need the institutions back up and running to give our health services political leadership and better support those children and their families who are crying out for help.”