Action call over mental health numbers
Parental mental health is a factor in more than two in five cases in which a child in South Tyneside is referred to social services.
The Children's Society and the mental health charity YoungMinds are calling on the Government to ensure that early support and advice is available for young people and their families.
Department for Education data reveals that, of 1,026 assessments carried out by social services in South Tyneside in 2019-20, 455 mentioned the mental health of a parent as a relevant factor for the child needing support – 44.3% of cases.
Nationally, there was an increase in the proportion of assessments finding the mental health of a parent contributing to the child being in need – from 27.1% in 2018-19, to 29.9% last year.
Richard Crellin, policy, research and public affairs team leader at The Children’s Society, said: “It is worrying to see more children and their parents were struggling with mental ill-health, even before the full impact of the pandemic was being felt.”
Tom Madders, director of campaigns at YoungMinds, said: "The Government must ensure that early support and advice is available for young people and their families.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: "We are absolutely committed to supporting the well-being and mental health of children and young people.
“NHS mental health services have remained open throughout the pandemic and in September we launched a new Every Mind Matters campaign with advice to promote young people’s mental wellbeing and equip parents with the tools to support them."