HALF of all mental health problems in adulthood begin before the age of 14, and three quarters before 24.
Although we know that it cannot always be prevented, we need to ensure that from a young age, help and support is there when it’s needed.
Yet last quarter 6,000 young people were waiting to be assessed by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), and only seven out of 14 health boards were meeting the waiting time targets of 18 weeks.
Young people deserve better, and these new figures on mental health support in schools provide further evidence that it has got to change.
This is why SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) launched a new campaign, Going To Be, in May. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the scale and urgency of the problem, with the long-term aim of better mental wellbeing for young people now and for future generations to come.
Since the launch of Going To Be more than a thousand people have joined the campaign, many telling us about their experiences of struggling to get help for their child or loved one.
GPs, teachers, school staff and parents need more options when presented with a young person who is mentally unwell. We need to invest in non-CAMHS services that focus on early intervention so that young people can access appropriate help quickly.
Which is why one of the first campaign asks is for counselling services across Scotland’s schools.
England, Wales and Northern Ireland all have strategies on counselling services in secondary schools. Children in Wales and Northern Ireland have guaranteed access to schools-based counselling. Why are Scotland’s children and young people missing out?
Access to mental health support shouldn’t be dictated by where you live, and we desperately need a consistent country-wide approach.
Evidence shows that schools-based counselling works. It’s only part of a whole school approach to mental health, but it is an important one.
Earlier this year the Scottish Government published a new Mental Health Strategy, which placed children and young people’s mental health at its core. The situation is urgent, and we want to see it change now. Our young people can’t wait any longer.
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