Every suicide is tragic and I will do everything in my power to protect & help young people

Swinney joins fight against youth suicide epidemic

- BY RUTH SUTER and GEMMA RYDER

JOHN Swinney has promised the government will do “everything in its power” to protect children from a youth suicide epidemic.

The First Minister made the pledge as he backs the Record’s Save Young Lives campaign, which was set up last month in response to a mental health crisis among kids.

As part of Save Young Lives, we have demanded urgent action to tackle their plight as harrowing figures show 26 per cent of deaths among young Scots are by probable suicide.

Reacting to our campaign, Swinney said: “I am grateful to the Daily Record for their work highlighting issues around young people's mental health through their important Save Young Lives campaign.

“Every death from suicide is a tragedy and each of us, whether in government, the health service, education or in wider society, has a duty to do what we can to prevent it.

“I can assure Record readers that my government will do everything in our power to drive further progress and support our young people.”

Save Young Lives was launched after we told how youngsters south of the Border are going to be educated at school about suicide prevention as part of the curriculum.

The Record has demanded the same action in Scotland in order to turn the tide on tragedy.

Hundreds of young deaths by suicide are happening each year while thousands of kids in crisis are left languishing on mental health waiting lists - some for years - despite our government's promise they should be seen within 18 weeks of referral.

Figures revealed by the Record also showed up to a third of kids are snubbed from Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS).