WORK has started on a £14.5 million centre which will support Keighley-district youngsters with specialist mental health needs.

The 22-bed West Yorkshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) unit will include a place of safety for young people in need of urgent help, a multi-purpose activity room, educational facilities and a family visiting room and communal space – for those receiving support as well the staff providing care.

The development is a priority project for the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership – whose member organisations include Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford Council, Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust and Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group.

“The West Yorkshire and Harrogate partnership has been working together to improve how young people with complex mental health problems get the support they need and the new unit is an important part of this work,” said Dr Sara Munro, chief executive officer lead for the regional Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism Collaborative.

“The unit was developed using the expert views of clinicians and those young people receiving support for their mental health needs.

“Their views were actively considered during the planning process to help ensure the best arrangements are in place to meet their needs.

“I’m pleased that construction has started and I look forward to seeing the building work take shape over the coming months.”

The facility is being built at Armley, in Leeds.

Site preparations began in January, with actual construction work – being carried out by Interserve Group Ltd – now under way.

Funding was secured through a successful bid to NHS England in November, 2017.

Since then, additional finance has been obtained from Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust to develop and include in the facility a health-based place of safety – known as a Section 136 suite.

Any young person deemed to be in immediate need of care can attend the suite.

An assessment will be made to ensure the youngster is provided with the most appropriate care.

Thea Stein, for CAMHS, said: “I look forward to the day when we move into the unit and most importantly when we provide the highest quality of care possible to children and young people in a purpose-built environment, designed to be a good place to get well.”

The unit is due to open in the autumn of next year.