News Release, 31 March 2000
The 10% of children experiencing a mental disorder according to a survey by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) are just the tip of the iceberg says the Mental Health Foundation.
Nigel Duerdoth, director of programmes, Mental Health Foundation, commented: "We know from Bright Futures, our two-year Inquiry into the mental health of children and young people, that one in five children, almost double the figure released by the ONS, experience some kind of psychological problem. However, we hope that, with the firm evidence from this survey, service providers will be better able to plan and develop good services to support the mental health needs of children and young people.
"The ONS survey indicates that only two-thirds of children assessed as having a mental disorder, under the criteria used for the survey, were in contact with specialist services. This means that one third of children were still unable to access the services that they needed. There is an urgent need for all services, including GPs, education, social services and specialist child and adolescent mental health services, to work together. We need to ensure that the rhetoric of joined up thinking is turned into the reality of good integrated services for our most vulnerable children.
"Without such a commitment, as this report has too clearly shown, the needs of children who are experiencing mental health problems, and particularly those experiencing emotional disorders, will continue to go unheeded. We know that children's mental health can affect every part of a their life including long term mental health, physical health and academic achievement, so we need to get our services right to invest in the future of today's young people."
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For further information and interview requests contact please contact the press office on 020 7803 1105 / 1128 or email the press office
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