21 February 2002
Dear Letters Editor
Yes, of course it's important to try and identify children at risk of suicide (G2 page 14, 21 February 2002), but if we are not to be accused of doing too little too late, we need to do more than that.
We need to make it acceptable for children and young people to talk about mental health problems and mental distress, reassure them that it is part of the human condition and that support is available. We know, through our work with primary schools, that supporting children to talk about emotional issues and working with children who are withdrawn and isolated makes a positive difference to individual children and can create a culture conducive to good mental health for everyone in the school.
There is a need for specific services for children and young people experiencing mental distress - but the more that we can do earlier to try and prevent young people reaching crisis in the first place, the better.
Yours faithfully
Ruth Lesirge
Chief Executive, Mental Health Foundation
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