Comment: Prof Shirley Reynolds on NSPCC Annual Childline Report
Release Date 10 September 2015
As the NSPCC publish their annual Childline report Professor Shirley Reynolds, Director of the University of Reading's Charlie Waller Institute for Evidence-based Psychological Treatment, says a lack of funding means children are receiving the wrong treatment or none at all.
"This report is a stark reminder that when it comes to mental health, we are letting children down. Effective and safe treatments do exist but due to underfunding of Child and Adolescent Mental Health services most children receive either the wrong kind of treatment or none at all.
"To access any specialist service young people need to experience a high level of distress - those who already endure awful circumstances are left waiting for appropriate support. We should therefore be extremely grateful to organisations like Childline. Their fantastic service ensures young people can access support 24 hours a day.
"All young people should be given immediate support without feeling that their needs are not important. Children and adolescents who need more complex or long term support can then be fast-tracked to more specialist services. The notion that children outgrow their difficulties is outdated. We must act now."