MORE than 18,000 abused or neglected children in Oxfordshire are not getting the mental health care they need, it has been warned.

The NSPCC has published a report that says 18,983 children in the county are being let down by health commissioners who fail to properly plan for the needs of youngsters who have been abused or neglected.

The charity is now calling on Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) to urgently include the needs of these children in their strategies.

Head of protection awareness at the NSPCC, Chris Cloke, said: “There is a strong association between children who have been abused or neglected and the lasting consequences that can have including mental health problems, depression and even suicide.

“We want all CCGs in the country to make greater provision to meet their needs and this provision needs to be different depending on the child, it can’t be a one off offer and that’s it, these youngsters might need the help and support years on down the line.

“We know that by providing early intervention care like this, it will stop a whole host of problems later on in their lives, which could cost more to sort out in the long run.

“This is just an estimated figure which is based on research we conducted.”

The NSPCC’s new research, ‘transforming the mental health services for children who have been abused’, uses records from 2016.

These showed 51 per cent of children in need had abuse or neglect identified as a primary need assessment.

Since 2015 local authorities have been required to conduct a mental health assessment, but according to the NSPCC 30 per cent of children taken into care do not receive it.

The NSPCC analysed CCGs’ published mental health plans, known as local transformation plans, and gave each plan a traffic light rating based on how well it had factored in the needs of children who have been abused.

Oxfordshire was given an amber rating – meaning plans had made some reference to the needs of children who have been abused, but were inadequately planning for their care.

Chief operating officer at OCCG, Diane Hedges, said: “OCCG has commissioned an improved children’s and young people’s mental health service (CAMHS).

“This includes ‘Horizon’, a service supporting young people affected by sexual harm.

“Young people are referred to this service where they are assessed and either offered treatment or signposted to more appropriate support and help.

“The new CAMHS service brings together voluntary groups working in partnership to offer early intervention and diagnosis to help young people with mental health issues. "