“Every death through suicide is a tragedy, and the loss of young lives is particularly distressing. Today’s research sheds light on ways of preventing suicide deaths among young people,” Centre for Mental Health chief executive Sarah Hughes said today.
Every death through suicide is a tragedy, and the loss of young lives is particularly distressing.
“It is vital that we understand the causes of suicide and take action in schools, colleges and communities to prevent tragedies whenever possible.
“We know that only a minority of young people experiencing mental health difficulties get effective help, and many face long waits. We have also seen a worrying rise in poor mental health among young women in recent years. It is therefore crucial that effective help is available at the first sign of difficulty in a young person, where possible in school.
“Today’s report points to some particular risk factors for suicide, including bereavement and exam pressures. We need to ensure children who are bereaved and those who are struggling with exam stress get offered easy access to effective support for their mental health.
We need to ensure children who are bereaved and those who are struggling with exam stress get offered easy access to effective support for their mental health.
“The forthcoming green paper on schools and mental health is an ideal opportunity to invest in high quality mental health help in schools and enable them to adopt a ‘whole school approach’ to supporting children’s wellbeing. It also needs to address the causes of exam stress and bring about a more balanced education system that promotes good mental health alongside academic achievement.”
Learn what we’re doing across Children and young people, suicide prevention and changing policy.
