We have entered a time of huge opportunity to improve our mental healthcare systems and supports, and this change is more necessary than ever before. We know that early intervention is key in helping children and young people with their mental health, but currently we’re letting all too many slip through the cracks. Unfortunately, we also know that the number of children and young people experiencing mental health issues is constantly rising, so why aren’t our systems changing to meet the need? Our health services need to listen to tales of people’s lived experience, I promise if you’re willing to listen, our insight is invaluable. I don’t have all of the answers on how to create a perfect system, what I do have though, is personal and professional insight into what’s not working at the minute, and what many young people need. There are endless access barriers to mental health and well-being services, which are actively blocking out young people and their families from getting adequate support. Other issues come up as a result of services and providers working as individuals rather than an integrated support system, with this failure we’re putting the burden of coordinating care on the young person and their family. I talk about these issues not because I want to be critical, but because I want to start conversations about change. It can be a brutal fight just to get help, so when someone can’t put up that fight, what’s their fate? Will our services step up or do we let them slip through the cracks too?