Legal News

Children’s Mental Health Week (16-22 February) was launched on Monday – with children’s mental health charity Place2Be releasing a video message from the charity’s Royal Patron HRH Duchess of Cambridge, to raise awareness of children’s mental health.

The charity is encouraging parents to come to terms with their child needing help for a mental health condition, as well as teaching their children to realise when they need to ask for help with conditions like depression or anxiety.

Figures show that three children in every school classroom have diagnosable mental health conditions – and around half of those who have a lifelong mental health condition present initial symptoms by the age of 14.

In the last 25 years, it is estimated that depression among teenagers has increased by 75% – with many teenagers feeling peer pressure as a result of social media, cyber-bullying and being exposed to explicit sexual content online and in text messages.

Place2Be offers counselling services to children – as well as encouraging parents to talk openly with their children about mental health issues.

Mental health campaigners have warned, however, that cuts in NHS mental health budgets have stretched children’s mental health services in many areas of the UK.

A recent report by ChildLine – Under Pressure – found that two-thirds of counselling sessions the helpline offered during 2013-2014 focused on a mental health issue, although child abuse remains “a primary issue” for young people calling ChildLine, including physical, sexual or and/or emotional abuse.

Out of a total of 300,000 counselling sessions conducted by ChildLine in 2013-2104, child abuse issues were involved in nearly 50,000 of these.

Counsellors at ChildLine say sessions involving online sexual abuse also rose by 168% in 2013-2014.

Children who contacted ChildLine with a mental health issue were also found to have concerns about self-harming, suicidal feelings, low self-esteem or feelings of unhappiness – as well as recurring issues that are ongoing and seriously affect a young person’s daily life, including a 13% rise in anxiety over school and educational issues.

Reports of online bullying rose by 87% in 2013-2014, according to the ChildLine report.

In the video recorded to mark the launch of the UK’s Children Mental Health Week, the Duchess of Cambridge calls for earlier intervention to tackle mental health issues in children – and adds that because of the stigma around mental health, many children are not receiving the help they need.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is the UK’s leading provider of Legal Aid mental health services – and offers free legal advice to NHS mental health patients, including advice on access to services and detention under the Mental Health Act.

In some cases, Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors may also be able to advise the Nearest Relative or carer of a mental health patient on accessing NHS mental health services, including initiating treatment reviews, where appropriate.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit hospitals and police stations to advise on mental health law – and are available at short notice for appointments nationwide.

For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0203 114 1124.