THE government is launching the “largest ever” campaign to highlight children’s mental health following criticism of the quality of care in Cumbria and beyond.

Alistair Burt MP, health minister, has revealed his vision for improving care services and removing the stigma attached to the issue.


The Department of Health will invest £600,000 to allow Time to Change, a programme run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, to deliver a social media campaign that targets 14 to 18-year-olds, and improve training in schools.

The drive follows widespread criticism of the state of mental health services for children which led to the Evening Mail’s Healthy Young Minds campaign.

Announcing the initiative, Mr Burt said: “I want to place the emphasis on building young people’s resilience, promoting good mental health and wellbeing and intervening early.

“I want to deliver a clear joined-up approach to mental health care, so children and young people can navigate through the system to get the care they need.

“I want there to be a culture of continuous improvement, built off the back of the very best and latest evidence. There is a powerful local consensus to do exactly this; people want to transform the local offer made to young people and their families.”

The government has commissioned the first survey to look at young people’s mental health since 2004. Around 10,000 people aged from two to 19 and their families will be interviewed, and the results will be used to shape future policy and design services around needs better.

In Cumbria, the Evening Mail is running the Healthy Young Minds campaign to highlight the problems that exist locally, the isolation many families feel and the long waiting list to see a psychiatrist.

The Evening Mail’s Healthy Young Minds petition can be signed on our website at  www.nwemail.co.uk/hym or in Barrow at the Evening Mail office in Abbey Road, John Woodcock’s office in Hartington Street, SAFA in Duke Street, and the BDDA in School Street.

Sue Baker, director of Time to Change, has welcomed the government’s campaign.

She said: “With three children in every classroom experiencing mental health problems, and the latest ONS figures showing one in eight children aged 10 to 15 reporting symptoms, we have to create a new era of openness and support.”