Centre for Mental Health

Recent reports

More than the sum of our parts: an evaluation of local mental health alliances.


The voluntary sector plays a vital role in supporting people with mental health difficulties. Yet, insecure funding and a lack of meaningful collaboration can inhibit voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations from providing the mental health support that people depend on. This report explores how bringing together local stakeholders – including VCSE organisations, NHS commissioners and providers of health and social care, and experts by experience – can lead to more effective and equitable support for people living with a mental illness.

CentreforMH_MoreThanTheSumOfOurParts.pdf (centreformentalhealth.org.uk)

A dual crisis: the hidden link between poverty and children’s mental health


This report explores the impact of poverty and benefit conditionality on families’ mental health. Based on research with parents and children, and a review of the evidence, it finds that money and mental health are inextricably linked; not having enough money leads to parental stress and guilt, which has a knock-on impact on children over the course of their lives. And with rates of poverty twice as high among Asian and Black families than white families, some children are ‘overexposed’ to the dual risks of poverty and poor mental health.

CentreforMH_ADualCrisis.pdf (centreformentalhealth.org.uk)