𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅

During Children’s Mental Health Week in February, I wrote to the Cabinet Member raising serious concerns about the mental wellbeing of young people in our county — backed by clear local evidence (𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://shorturl.at/juajw).

Tragically just a few short weeks after I raised my serious concerns, another young girl took her own life locally here in West Sussex at the same school that my daughters attend. As both a local councillor and a parent, I know how important it is that children get the support they need early, before problems escalate.

My letter led to an urgent meeting between myself and senior officers on 16 March, where 𝗜 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀, highlighting the points I raised in my letter.

I’m pleased that following this, the Cabinet Member agreed and has now formally written to the NHS calling for MHST provision in West Sussex to be accelerated to 100% coverage — 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿:

5% of 14-year-old girls report frequent suicidal thoughts.

14% of pupils report self-harm.

Self-harm hospital admissions are higher than the England average, especially in our coastal areas.

Current support only reaches around 60% of pupils.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱.

𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿:

Faster rollout of Mental Health Support Teams.

More support for schools.

Better protection for young people’s mental wellbeing.

This is about making sure no child in West Sussex is left without support.