A national panel of young people with mental health problems issued a manifesto to politicians in July to highlight changes they say are needed to improve mental health services. Organised by charity YoungMinds, the Very Important Kids report was written by the young people themselves and it covers eleven areas where they believe things must change.
The report argues that social stigmas still make it difficult for many young people with mental health problems to talk about how they feel, and it highlights the importance of support for these young people, particularly at key times in their lives. The manifesto also calls for greater staff training, at all levels of education, to help staff understand mental health issues. Young people with mental health problems are themselves “experts” on the subject, the report claims, and their voices should be listened to at all times on this issue.
