A walk-in center for children and young people will be expanded as part of efforts to provide more mental health support in the wake of the pandemic.
On Tuesday, ministers are expected to announce the rollout of 24 “early support hubs” that will provide counseling, group therapy and specialist advice to people trying to cope with difficulties.
The center, aimed at people between the ages of 16 and 24, aims to provide help without a doctor or school referral.
NHS data shows one in five children and young people aged eight to 16 in England may have a mental disorder, up from one in nine before the pandemic.
Separate figures show hospitalizations for eating disorders have increased by 50 per cent since the pandemic, with a particular spike among young children.
Mental Health Minister Maria Kohlfeld said: ‘This Government is making the long-term decisions needed to make our health system faster, simpler and fairer. Mental health support for young people is key. That’s the part.
“Children and young people should not suffer alone. Additional funding for 24 mental health hubs will improve access and bring in more staff and professionals who can help those who need it most. It will be.”
The £8 million plan for 24 new hubs is an addition to the 70 centers already in place across the country, and builds on a previous commitment of £4.9 million for 10 centres.
eating disorder
Hospital admissions for eating disorders have increased by more than 50 per cent since the first lockdown, with the biggest jump among young children, according to official data.
The figures show that nearly 30,000 patients will become ill enough to require hospital treatment between 2022 and 2023, compared with 19,000 before the pandemic.
Children under 10 years of age have seen the largest proportionate increase in infections, with hospitalizations tripling.
Counselor and author Lynn Crilly said the drastic changes forced into daily life during lockdown had increased anxiety in children and young people, which had led to and exacerbated eating disorders.
She said: “The whole world has been turned upside down. Schools are closed, online presence is greater than ever, children live on their smartphones, are increasingly socially isolated, and influencers and fitness apps are promoting weight loss. I’m starting to see it advertised.”
Ms Cleary, author of Hope With Eating Disorders, said: ‘Eating disorders are secretive and manipulative, so children spend more time at home and away from their parents in their bedrooms. For some people, it becomes an obsession.”
