Swinney backs campaign

GEMMA RYDER, RUTH SUTER

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John Swinney has promised the SNP will do "everything in its power" to protect children from a youth suicide epidemic in Scotland.

The First Minister made the pledge as he backs our sister paper the Daily 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 this plight as harrowing figures show 26 per cent of deaths among young Scots are by probable suicide.

Reacting to the 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.