Responding to a report by the Centre for Mental Health, warning about how up to 10 million people, including 1.5 million children and young people under 18, may need mental health support in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“These stark figures demonstrate the scale of the mental health crisis we face in this country as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Councils play a crucial role in improving and maintaining their residents’ mental health and wellbeing, through adult and children’s social care, supporting their staff, suicide prevention and helping unpaid carers and new parents, as well as by providing safe access to parks and green spaces, supporting schools, youth services, children’s centres and expanding public libraries’ online offer.
“We need a new national focus on helping everyone stay mentally well, including those affected by COVID-19, backed-up by funding for councils to spend with the voluntary and community sector on meeting local mental wellbeing needs.
“This should include a shift in focus and funding away from simply treating mental ill-health and towards a locally-led approach to promoting people’s mental wellbeing throughout their lives.
“The upcoming Spending Review should be used to provide ongoing funding for councils to invest in effective mental health services and support to meet existing, new and unmet demand caused by the pandemic.”
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