We mark World Mental Health Day today in one of the most critical years in recent history.
We have been advocating for years that mental health should be regarded on a par with physical health and, given the current focus on public health, we cannot help but wonder why that is still not the case.
The rise in mental health problems has previously been labelled as a modern-day pandemic and one of the greatest public health challenges of our times.
In the UK alone, one in four people experience problems with mental health and the costs of mental ill-health surpass £105 billion every year.
Mental-health problems are even more worrying when they concern the mental fitness of our younger generations and how we are preparing them to face the growing challenges of entering adulthood. One in 10 youngsters had experienced a mental health problem before Covid-19 struck and this number is expected to rise dramatically due to the pandemic.
Mental health services will inevitably face an overwhelming and unprecedented pressure which could potentially lead to a lost generation of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.
We must not lose sight of the challenges that the most vulnerable members of society face and ensure that adequate mental health support for all our children is provided.
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.