LGA responds to annual Children's Society report on childhood wellbeing

29 Aug 2019 10:08 AM

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, responded to Children Society’s annual report, which found that a quarter of a million children in the UK are unhappy

“Councils strive to make sure that every child gets the best start and is able to go on and live a healthy, safe and prosperous life, despite seeing more than 560 cases of children with mental health conditions every day – an increase of more than 50 per cent in just four years.

“Statutory PSHE classes in all secondary schools from 2020 will go some way to teach children and young people the importance of mental health, emotional wellbeing and resilience, as well as addressing issues such as bullying and online harms.

“However, significant funding pressures in children’s services and public health mean many councils are struggling to provide the support young people so desperately need. They are also being forced to cut some of the vital early intervention services, including youth services and school nurses, which can support children with low level mental health issues and avoid more serious problems in later life.

“It is absolutely vital that the Government adequately funds these services in the Spending Round, so we can tackle this urgent crisis and make sure children get the help they need.”

The Good Childhood Report 2019