Don’t we care about our children's mental health?

Worldwide, it is estimated that one in ten children has a mental health problem. In the UK, only 5% (one twentieth) of mental health funding is spent on children and the NHS has a target to treat just one in three of the children who need help.

Is that good enough?

Barry Holliday, your Derby North Lib Dem candidate said "Imagine if your child was one of the two out of three with a mental health problem who wasn't getting help. I'm sure you'd say this wasn't good enough. And I would agree."

When children and teens who are getting help turn 18 they often no longer qualify. Liberal Democrats say all young people should be able to continue to get help up to 25.

Barry added, "Mental health experts are really positive about our plans. At present teenagers face major life changes like leaving home, going to university and starting their first jobs without the mental health support they need.

"It's good to have a bit more money in the recent budget, but this won't be enough to help every child and young person who needs help. This should be a higher priority than giving tax cuts to the most wealthy."

In the Budget at the end of October the Conservatives promised the biggest tax cuts to the top 10% of earners. The Lib Dems voted to reject this, but most Labour MPs didn't. Meanwhile the Lib Dems' top priorities are: better funding for health services, fair taxes for all and stopping Brexit.