According to research by the Nuffield Foundation published last month, the proportion of 15- and 16-year-olds suffering from anxiety or depression has doubled in the past 30 years.
With this in mind, in February the government pledged £22m to increase the availability of talking therapies to children and young people with mental health problems through its improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) programme.
Part of the money will finance training for professionals including teachers and youth workers, so that they can intervene early to support young people before mental health problems escalate.
Meanwhile, the charity Clubs for Young People has just concluded a three-year initiative exploring how youth clubs can support young people with emotional problems. The project found that youth provision could play a vital role in stopping young people with "low-level" mental health problems from developing a more serious illness, particularly in the most disadvantaged communities.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
