New research has warned the mental health crisis facing children and young people will prevent the Government from boosting economic growth, as well as having an impact on the lives of thousands of young people.
The research, from the Future Minds Campaign, estimates the long-term impact of mental health problems in childhood now costs the UK more than £1 trillion in lifetime lost earnings.
The campaign, which brings together Centre for Mental Health, Centre for Young Lives, the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, and YoungMinds, with the support of the Prudence Trust, is urging the Government to deliver urgent reform and investment in children’s mental health services in the upcoming Spending Review and 10 Year NHS Plan.
Cllr Arooj Shah, Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: “The growing children’s mental health crisis needs to be recognised as an urgent social concern and tackled with a cross-government plan to support children and young people.
“In addition to adequately funding children’s services in the upcoming Spending Review, councils have set out a series of steps the Government should take. These include reviewing mental health support teams in schools, with a named mental health professional supporting each school.
“Councils should be supported to provide parenting support programmes and to set up local networks for parents and carers of children with mental health needs. We would also like to see mental health training become a core element of training for all staff that support children and young people.”