Since my petition for mental health education for the whole of the UK passed 175,000 signatures, part of the devolved Welsh Government have requested one towards a debate in their Parliament. Please sign and share, even if you don't live in Wales every signature counts.

 

When working for Mental - The Podcast to Destigmatise Mental Health, I am continually concerned by the lack of education in schools around mental health. With 1 in 4 of us experiencing mental illness every year according to the charity Mind, this seems to be a real and significant gap in our education system.

 

KEY STATISTICS:

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1. Over half of all mental ill health starts before the age of 14, and 75% of this has developed by the age of 18;

2. A 2015 survey found that 13% of adults (16 & older) living in Wales were reported to have received treatment for a mental health problem, an increase from 12% reported in 2014;

3. The overall cost of mental health problems in Wales is an estimated £7.2 billion a year. The statistics are shocking, yet whilst there is a whole subject in the Welsh curriculum about our physical health in the form of PE, our young people are left without knowledge of even the most common mental illnesses.

Not only does this leave them unprepared & vulnerable when it comes to looking out for their own mental health, but also sets the standard that Mental Health is not discussed. This plants a seed of stigma that many carry for their whole lives.

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We are keen to hear back from those in power on a more extensive plan to better the lives of Wales's young people.

CAMPAIGNING FOR:

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• Mental Health education becoming mandatory teaching for all schools in Wales without the addition of any exams/homework on this subject.

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• Every child in Wales having the ability to access a qualified counsellor through their school.

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• Every school in Wales offering Mental Health training for its staff.

Please join our petition to help bring us one step closer to making these requests a reality for Welsh children, thus safeguarding the health of generations to come.

Thank you for reading,

 

Annie Harris & The Mental Podcast Team