Youth Advisory Group help shape Public Health Wales’s consensus statement on youth mental health
27 November 2025
Public Health Wales (PHW) and members of the Wolfson Centre Youth Advisory Group (YAG) have worked together over the summer to refine a national consensus statement aimed at improving mental health support for children and young people in Wales.
PHW representatives met with the YAG to discuss the current landscape of youth mental health, share the aims of their developing statement, and hear directly from young people about what meaningful change should look like.
The session focused on three key objectives: updating the group on project aims, exploring young people’s views of what ‘good’ mental health support should involve in future, and working collaboratively to shape the draft statement.
Following the session, PHW revised the statement to incorporate the priorities and insights shared by the group. Final approval was then sought from YAG members and other key stakeholders to ensure that the resulting document reflects a genuinely shared vision for improving youth mental health in Wales.
“We greatly valued the opportunity to collaborate with Public Health Wales on this important piece of work. It is encouraging to see their contributions reflected in the revised statement, ensuring that young people’s voices remain central to shaping the mental health agenda in Wales.”
One YPAG member reflected on the experience of contributing to the process:
“I found the session with Public Health Wales highly informative, and it was encouraging to hear about their plans to improve access to mental health support for young people in Wales.
“Their intention to redesign pathways was particularly impactful, as earlier intervention can significantly strengthen children’s well-being and contribute to a healthier, more resilient generation.
“It was also reassuring to hear that they will be considering the inequalities that prevent many children from accessing support, recognising how low-income areas and households face greater barriers, and the need to bridge the gap between risk factors and access to help.
“It was valuable to collaborate, share ideas, and provide feedback during the session, as young people’s voices should be central within policy-making processes."
“it was great to see a focus on working with people from diverse backgrounds to ensure a broad range of perspectives are included in the co-design process. Overall, it was clear that the work Public Health Wales aims to deliver through their statement will be fundamental in transforming mental health support for children and young people across Wales.”
The Joint Statement on Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing has now been published by Public Health Wales and is available to read online.
