Around six children in every classroom need mental health support, but many struggle to get the help that they need, experts have warned.
A “perfect storm” of the Covid-19 pandemic, deepening inequalities in society and “decades of inaction” have led to a situation where demand outstrips capacity for services, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition said.
It warned that children and young people face “significant challenges” trying to access the support they need, including high thresholds for referrals for help; rejected referrals and long waiting times.
The Coalition, made up of of 200 organisations including health charities and organisations, said that whichever political party wins the next general election should “grasp the nettle” and make strong commitments to improve the mental health of young people.
This includes: more investment; better early support when problems emerge; more mental health across all educational settings and reform of the Mental Health Act to protect the rights of children.
The Coalition’s new report, which sets out steps political parties should take to safeguard children’s mental health, states that about one in five children and young people aged eight to 25 years had a mental health problem in 2023.
