Twickenham MP Munira Wilson introduces Bill to give all state schools a mental health professional
By Heather Nicholls
9th Jan 2024 | Local News
Twickenham MP Munira Wilson is set to introduce a bill to the commons today to give all state schools a mental health professional.
Statistics show that 61% of those waiting for mental health support had stopped attending school, college, university, or work.
58% missed more than two weeks of school, 42% missed more than a month and 20% missed more than six months.
A fifth of young people wait more than six months for help, while waiting, 41% said that their mental health got worse.
Ahead of the introduction of the bill, the Education Spokesperson Munira Wilson MP said:
"This Conservative Government has failed time and again to tackle the crisis in mental health services for children and young people.
"Children and young people in England who have a probable mental health disorder are not getting the help they need and deserve."
"Children waiting for mental health support often don't go to school and that will be affecting their educational outcomes and life chances, often leaving their condition to get worse. That is just wrong.
"My Bill will help to tackle this issue by requiring every school to have access to a qualified mental health professional funded by the Government, helping young people get the support they need, working to achieve early intervention before issues escalate."
Ms Wilson previously told Nub News that she believes children's mental health services are not fit for purpose.
She said that when she first came into her Twickenham seat after the 2019 election, she was "alarmed" at the number of emails and "horror stories" she received from "dismayed parents" detailing their child's mental health issues and problems with the service.
Ms Wilson said: "There was a huge need that was not being met and that was exacerbated by the pandemic."
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