Another day, another worrying statistic about the state of mental health services under the coalition government. It is fair to say that mental health services have taken a beating under the coalition government and with every new revelation we see how funding cuts are seriously impacting negatively on the health and wellbeing of those who suffer from a mental illness.
Today’s statistics are particularly heartbreaking as we learn the pressure that our schools are facing with an increasing number of students presenting symptoms of self-harm. The National Association of Headteachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers both report the increase. We also learn that, in Wales, a shocking 1,542 10-to-19-year-olds presented self-harm significant enough to warrant an admittance into hospital in 2013-14.
Self-harm is an often misunderstood mental condition. It is often a symptom of depression, body dysmorphic disorder, schizophrenia, anorexia and a whole host of other mental health disorders. Self-harm can often be the only way for somebody suffering mentally to manifest their pain into a physical entity.
The Labour Campaign for Mental Health believe that mental health first aid needs to be a part of teacher training, so that teachers can recognise when their pupils are presenting a cry for help. Teachers are often on the frontline and when they see a child present symptoms they need to be equipped to offer assistance, which will often lead to signposting children and parents to the relevant services, a process that needs to be handled delicately.
Being diagnosed with a mental illness should not be seen as a life sentence. The evidence shows that if a patient gets diagnosed early they can manage their symptoms and go on to live a normal life. Furthermore, evidence from the LSE has shown that early intervention of medical disorders is economically efficient and saves the state money in the long term.
The cuts in child and adolescent mental health services have been stark. A freedom of information request by the charity Young Minds found that two-thirds of local authorities in England have reduced their budget since 2010. They found, for example, that Derby city council had reported a cut in its spending by 41 per cent since 2010.
Not only does this fly in the face of the evidence, but we should see the human side of every statistic on mental health. Every child who does not get the adequate help that they need to cope with their mental illness is a tragedy. By training teachers to spot the symptoms early we can stop children and young people getting to crisis point whereby severe intervention is required, detaining children in mental health hospitals under the Mental Health Act. Detention under the Mental Health Act is traumatic for anyone, but the stigma of being detained as a child leads to lasting effects.
When being given a mental health diagnosis it should always be accompanied with the realistic hope of recovery. We must not let children suffer alone. Mental health training of teachers should be mandatory and we cannot go on with the senseless cuts of children and adolescent services.
The Labour Campaign for Mental Health was launched in London on 17 November last year. There will be a launch in the north of England on 26 January at Unison Arena Point in Manchester. Please email [email protected] for further details
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Victoria Desmond and Jack Falkingham are founders of Labour Campaign for Mental Health
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