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  • Mental health and learning disabilities

    An overview of the Autism strategy and action plan; Bamford review of mental health and learning disability and mental health and learning disability statistics

    contents

    Mental Health Action Plan and Strategy

    The Mental Health Action Plan contains 38 actions, including a commitment to produce a Mental Health Strategy, which will include a comprehensive funding plan for mental health. There is also a plan on dealing with the response to the Covid-19 crisis.

    Mental Health Research Publications

    Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

    Children should have access to a comprehensive array of services that address the child’s physical, emotional, social and educational needs in order to promote positive mental health.This section provides relevant information relating to child and adolescent mental health services and policy.

    Mental Capacity Act 2016

    The Mental Capacity Act (NI) 2016 is a ground-breaking piece of legislation that, when fully commenced, will fuse together mental capacity and mental health law for those aged 16 years old and over within a single piece of legislation, as recommended by the Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability.

    • Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice and Other Key Documents
    • Mental Capacity Act Background
    • Mental Capacity Act Legislation

    Mental health and learning disabilities

    Useful publications

    Mental health, learning disability and autism statistics

    Information within this section refers to activity for services relating to mental health, learning disability and autism.

    • Children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) statistics
    • Autism statistics
    • Mental health and learning disability statistics

    Autism strategy and action plan

    • Reform of Adult Care and Support
    • Autism Strategy (2013 – 2020) Action Plan (2013 – 2016) Progress Reports
    • IHRD – Get involved in Paediatric Clinical

    Bamford review of mental health and learning disability

    • Bamford Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability

    Police powers and places of safety

    Under the Mental Health (NI) Order 1986, police officers have a power to enter private premises with a warrant and temporarily remove people to a place of safety, and a power to remove persons from public places to a place of safety, provided that specified criteria are met.

    Mental Health (NI) Order Revised Code of Practice 2025

    Mental Health (NI) Order Revised Code of Practice 2025

    Related to Mental health and learning disabilities

    Most recent publications

    • CAMHS waiting time statistics for Northern Ireland (March 2025)

      Published 22 May 2025
    • The prevalence of autism (including Asperger’s Syndrome) in school age children in Northern Ireland 2025

      Published 15 May 2025
    See all publications in this topic

    Most recent consultations

    • Equality and Human Rights Consultation - NICE CG 32 - Nutrition support for adults: oral nutrition support, enteral tube feeding and parenteral nutrition

      Published 25 March 2016 Consultation closed
    • Bamford Evaluation - Your experience matters

      Published 15 February 2016 Consultation closed
    See all consultations in this topic

    Most recent news items

    • Young Persons Behaviour and Attitudes Survey 2022: Mental Health and Wellbeing

      Published 20 December 2023
    • Publication of “CAMHS Waiting Time Statistics for Northern Ireland (June 2023)”

      Published 9 August 2023
    See all news in this topic

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department of Health including Freedom of Information, information about yourself and the type of information we commit to publish on a regular basis.

    Find out more about accessing Department of Health information

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