100,000 teenagers will receive mental health training

In response to today’s announcement that 100,000 teenagers will receive mental health training to help them cope with exam pressure and build up their self-esteem, Localis chief executive, Liam Booth-Smith, said: “There needs to be a better focus on addressing the challenges that young people face in their mental wellbeing or, as we prefer, mental fitness.

“And schools should naturally play a greater role in tackling young people’s mental health because they are cost-effective and close to a young person’s everyday life.

“Localis analysis shows 75% of local mental health plans mention school-based approaches – 40% of those plans refer specifically to school-based counselling.

“However, when you get into the detail, a mere 3% actually plan to commission school-based services. An effective mental health system for young people is hard to envisage without widescale school-based services.