Mental Health and Schools
This article highlights the importance of good liaison between mental health services and schools to prevent children with mental health issues missing out on educational opportunities. It is clear that school exclusion has lasting effects for those with mental health issues that persist into adulthood with less opportunities overall.
Limited Budgets
Currently mental health services need more funding to be able to offer preventative strategies within school to avoid exclusions. With limited budgets, it has been difficult to invest “up front” in services that have been demonstrated to show long term positive outcomes.
It is crucial that we all advocate for better investment in mental health services, which have always been the poor relation in health provision.
How We can Help
Dr Fivos Cacoullis, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist is commenting after reading an article that reports from a study showing half of pupils who are expelled from school have a mental health issue. The article can be found here https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jul/20/half-pupils-expelled-school-mental-health-issue-study-finds
Here at Cardinal Clinic we have a skilled and experienced child and adolescent team comprising of consultants and therapists. The unit is based within our grounds away from the main Clinic and our adult patients. For patients to be seen we will require a letter of referral from the GP. Please see https://cardinalclinic.co.uk/child-adolescent-team/
