Election 2019: Labour Party pledges £845m to improve children's mental health
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, November 21, 2019
The Labour Party has pledged to invest in a £845 plan to improve children and young people's mental health.
Launching his party’s manifesto in Birmingham, Jeremy Corbyn also promised to recruit 3,500 school counsellors for secondary schools and a qualified counsellor in all primary schools as part of a "Young Minds" plan.
The plan is aimed at providing increased mental health support for young people through increased annual spending on child and adult mental health services (CAMHS) and the introduction of 300,000 mental health hubs.
Corbyn also pledged to shake-up the youth justice system with plans for local authorities, police forces and youth services to work together to prevent with young people from becoming involved in crime and anti-social behaviour.
Planned changes include improving relationships between criminal justice agencies and education services and giving all young people access to youth workers.
The Labour leader also promised a review into the youth custody estate and youth court system and reduce the "disproportionate" levels of BAME children in custody.
Promises were made to improve special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) by recruiting special needs co-ordinators as part of a drive to attract 150,000 additional early years workers.
Corbyn vowed to end cuts to youth services and implement a National Youth Service guaranteeing all young people access to youth work.
Labour promised to launch a review of the care system including the introduction of a central register for looked-after children and stricter regulation of semi supported housing.
The party would also extend support to care-experienced young people over the age of 18.
The roll out of 30 hours of free childcare a week for two to four year olds and plans to open 1,000 new Sure Start centres, have already been promised by Labour.
Promising "life-long education", Corbyn vowed to bring back the Education Maintenance Allowance for 16 to 18-year-olds and offer everyone free training up to Level 3 and six years' training for those working towards Levels 4 to 6.
In a bid to reduce food poverty, the Labour manifesto vows to provide free school meals for all primary school pupils and reverse funding cuts to all state schools across the UK.
The manifesto also promises to abolish the current SATs system and reduce class sizes to under 30 for all primary school children.
Labour has pledged to scrap Ofsted and "take action to end off-rolling".
Corbyn repeated plans for the voting age to be lowered to 16 and to scrap the Universal Credit scheme and two-child cap in a bid to relieve pressure on the UK's poorest families.
