Government launches £9.4 million mental health pilot for children in social care across Greater Manchester
The UK government has announced a £9.4 million mental health pilot program called Care Together for children in social care across Greater Manchester. Announced on 23 October 2026 by the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England, the scheme will place NHS mental health professionals directly into children's social care teams in Stockport, Tameside, and Rochdale. The pilot will cover up to 7,000 children, young people, and their caregivers, offering direct mental health support and family therapy. For families and young people supported by social care, this setup aims to replace separate, disconnected services with direct access to mental health care without navigating multiple referral routes. The trial will start in early 2027 and run until 2029, with an evaluation to decide if the model should be expanded across the country. The initiative follows an independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism.
What was announced
The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England announced a three year pilot project called Care Together on 23 October 2026. The government is spending up to £9.4 million on the trial.
The project places NHS mental health workers directly inside social care teams for children in Stockport, Tameside, and Rochdale. Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board will run the scheme. The pilot will cover up to 7,000 children and young people in need, on protection plans, in care, or leaving care, along with their parents or guardians. It offers services like family therapy and specialized mental health assistance.
The pilot starts in early 2027 and will end in 2029. It acts on recommendations from an independent review by Professor Fonagy into mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism.
What it means
Children and young people in social care who need mental health support often have to go through separate application processes across different organizations. By combining social workers and NHS mental health specialists in single teams, the program aims to give families access to support faster.
The scheme tests whether combining these teams works effectively before deciding if the model should be rolled out across the rest of the country.
The announcement also noted wider funding for children's care services. This includes £2.4 billion for early intervention through the Families First Partnership Programme, £500 million to expand children's homes, and an expansion of the Staying Close programme for care leavers up to age 25.
What the announcement does not tell us
The press release does not specify how many individual mental health professionals will be placed into social care teams. It does not state how quickly young people will access services compared to current waiting times.
The document does not detail how the pilot will be evaluated or what specific targets must be met to trigger a wider national rollout. It also does not outline how mental health staff will be recruited or transferred from existing NHS services into local council teams.
How this was written
This analysis was written with AI from the official announcement below, using only facts that announcement states. The quoted wording is gov.uk: Health and Social Care’s own. Always check the original before acting on anything here.
Young people supported by social care in Greater Manchester are set to benefit from a new mental health pilot.
Opens www.gov.uk
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