Milton Keynes Council welcomes mental health measures for schools

Milton Keynes Council has welcomed government measures aimed at reducing the stigma around mental illness. The Prime Minister Theresa May has announced that every school will have mental health first aid training in a bid to catch problems early.

 

The announcement has been welcomed by the council which has made mental health a commitment in its Council Plan.

Councillor Zoe Nolan, Cabinet Member with responsibility for children and families said: “This is very positive news. As a council we are committed to working with partners to improve early diagnoses and address mental health issues in children.

“Our local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) has an ambitious transformation plan that we are working with partners to implement. This is already seeing results, and this announcement will further help us to ensure we can treat mental illness early and avoid it blighting children’s lives as they grow up and in adulthood.”  

 

Government plans will see 1,200 secondary schools - equivalent to one in three - offered mental health first aid training this year, with support for the remainder rolled out by the end of 2019. Staff will be offered guidance on how to identify and help children who are suffering from depression and anxiety, with training to also offer support on identifying youngsters at risk of self-harm and suicide.