Mental health reforms to focus on young people, says PM

Plans to “transform” attitudes to mental health, with a focus on children and young people, have been announced by Theresa May.

Additional training for teachers, an extra £15m for community care, and improved support in the workplace were among measures announced by the PM.

Mental health experts said more funding was needed to improve services.

Mrs May’s speech comes as she outlined her plans to use the state to create a “shared society”.

The government says one in four people has a mental disorder at some point in their life, with an annual cost of £105bn.

Figures show young people are affected disproportionately with over half of mental health problems starting by the age of 14 and 75% by 18.

The prime minister said mental health had been “dangerously disregarded” as secondary to physical health and changing that would go “right to the heart of our humanity”.

Source: BBC News

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‘Bonfire of children’s rights’ Bill opposed

A Bill described as “a bonfire of child protection rights”, which would let councils opt out of key legal duties to children, is being debated on Tuesday.

The Children and Social Work Bill would let local councils apply to set aside children’s rights and checks on care to try out innovative ways of working.

The government argues it is a bold approach to removing red tape.

But campaigners say allowing councils to opt out of these long-standing duties is risky and unnecessary.

The legal duties affected by the Bill relate to nearly all the social care services children receive from local authorities laid down in numerous acts of Parliament

These include statutory rights on child protection, family support, children’s homes and fostering, support to care leavers and services for disabled children.

Source: BBC News

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