GLOUCESTER MATTERS

THERE'S no doubt children today are struggling with a generational challenge to their mental health.

- Alex Mcintyre MP

It’s something I hear from young people and parents alike in Gloucester. It's been escalating for years, but now Labour are getting to grips with the issue.

Around 20% of young people experience some type of mental health issue, up from 14% in 2017. That's just the tip of the iceberg there will be many more struggling with their wellbeing that don’t meet the threshold for a clinical diagnosis. And the idea that young people ‘will grow out of it’ doesn’t match reality.

Feeling uncomfortable with their emotions, sometimes not wanting to go to school or feeling isolated around others - these issues aren’t unique, I've heard them from children in Gloucester. But we know that learning how to open up can be a turning point in education.