Notts children need help with mental illness

A charity is calling for more Government funding to deal with mental health problems as hordes of young people turn to it for support.
Peter WanlessPeter Wanless
Peter Wanless

The NSPCC’s Childline service has launched the ‘Are you there?’ campaign, urging the Government for more funding after 10,115 counselling sessions addressing mental health issues were carried out in 2016/17 at its East Midlands base alone.

During the same period of time the charity dealt with 101,454 contacts about mental and emotional health, self-harm or suicidal thoughts UK-wide - a 12 per cent rise on the previous year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Peter Wanless, NSPCC chief executive, said: “Increasing mental health support in schools will be an important step to ensure more children get the help they need. But we know that children don’t only experience mental health problems during the school day.

“Government funding to Childline has remained the same, whilst demand for counselling about mental health continues to increase.

“It is vital that Government urgently provides more funding to help children who don’t have access to support elsewhere.”

The NSPCC is calling on members of the public to sign a petition to the Government calling for more funding to be given to Childline to help the service tackle mental health problems among young people.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To sign the petition, visit e-activist.com/page/18552/petition/1

Children and young people can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice, 24 hours a day on 0800 1111 or by visiting www.childline.org.uk