Child wellbeing, especially that of mental health, becomes ever more paramount as the challenges our young people face grow in number during uncertain and difficult times.
The coalition government’s newly announced initiative, headed and announced by Nick Clegg, outlines how private and public institutions and organisations, including schools and colleges, can promote good mental health.
Responding to the government’s ‘No health without mental health: implementation framework’, Benita Refson, Chief Executive of children’s charity Place2Be said “It is encouraging to see government making mental health a real priority, and that the importance of intervening early to support the mental health needs of children and young people is recognised.
“Place2Be knows from its own counselling services in schools that early intervention is the key to giving children the support they need, where and when they need it, to unlock their potential and help them to grow into emotionally healthy adults with prospects not problems.
“In addition to the social benefits, early intervention brings about a financial return on investment: £106 billion is currently spent on treating adult mental health problems, yet economic evaluation has proven that for every £1 we spend on our services we save society £6.
“It is now vital that the government turns words in to actions and makes mental health support for children and young people a priority; this will lay the foundations to building a mentally healthy future generation.”
