Scottish schools lack mental health provision, charities warn

Research by the a group of children’s charities has highlighted a lack of mental health provision for young people in Scotland’s schools.

The Scottish Children's Services Coalition, has argued that urgent action is needed to improve access to mental health support, while NHS figures have shown 30,639 children were seen by Camhs between January 2015 and September 2016.

Currently, Scotland is the only UK country with no national strategy for school-based counselling services, with studies suggesting that half of mental health problems start before the age of 15.

The Scottish Youth Parliament, Penumbra, Place2Be and Children in Scotland are also supporting the call for support to be improved in all schools and in the community.

Responding to the research, a spokesperson for Cosla said: "Scotland's councils take the health and well-being of the children in our schools very seriously indeed. Councils employ educational psychologists and these officers are shared across the local authority area - focusing primarily on the children who need them, wherever they are based.

"Scotland's councils take the health and well-being of the children in our schools very seriously indeed. Councils employ educational psychologists and these officers are shared across the local authority area - focusing primarily on the children who need them, wherever they are based.”