Young People’s Mental Health and local Candidates’ Support

By Jude Gidney

I, a bereaved mother to a son that took his own life in January, contacted all of my local candidates (Oldham East and Saddleworth) who are standing in the election on Thursday to ask them where they stood on Mental Health provisions for young people. The emails were sent via the Young Minds website. The email I sent started:

I am writing as your potential constituent to ask you to pledge your support for young people’s mental health.

Young people’s mental health is one of the biggest issues facing our society. 1.25 million children and young people across the UK have a diagnosable mental health condition but, at present, only one in three of them are able to access NHS support.

As a YoungMinds supporter, it matters a lot to me that my MP will be someone who will champion young people’s mental health, and who will work to ensure that young people are given the help they need when their problems first emerge. That’s why I urge you to take a pledge to support young people’s mental health if you are elected.

To date (09/12/19) I have received replies from Debbie Abrahams (Labour) and Sam Al-Hamdani (Lib Dem). As I sent them as myself and not as Editor of Saddleworth Life.com , I have contacted them to ask permission to publish them. I have just heard from Debbie Abrahams:

Debbie Abrahams Reply:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about young people’s mental health.  I agree with you that this is a vitally important issue and it’s simply unacceptable that so many young people are not receiving the treatment and support they need.  

Only one in four children and young people are able to receive help from a mental health professional.  As you may be aware, Labour’s manifesto has committed to a £845 million plan for Healthy Young Minds, which will more than double the annual spending on children and adolescent mental health services.

In addition, we will establish a network of open access mental health hubs to enable more children to access mental health and recruit almost 3,500 qualified counsellors to guarantee every child access to school counsellors.

Greater Manchester has also committed to publishing full data on young people’s mental health services, which you can view in full here: www.gmhsc.org.uk/news/children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-service-access-and-waiting-times-april-to-june-2019/

I am sure you will be pleased to know that I have signed up to YoungMind’s pledge and if re-elected I will continue to work to ensure that young people are given the help they need when their problems first emerge. 

Thank you once again for taking the time to contact me on this important issue.

Yours sincerely

Debbie

Debbie Abrahams

Labour Parliamentary Candidate for Oldham East and Saddleworth

Read more replies here.

Jude Gidney - Editor
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

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