LGA responds to Action for Children research on teenagers' mental health

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, responds to research by Action for Children which revealed one third of 15 to 18-year-olds are suffering from mental health and emotional wellbeing issues.


“Early help and support is vital if we are to stop young people from reaching crisis point, and enable them to perform better at school and avoid mental health issues in later life.

“But with children’s services facing a £3 billion funding gap by 2025, some councils are now being forced to cut early intervention work, including services for young people, as a result of the increase in demand to provide support for children in care.

“This has been compounded by government cuts to councils’ public health budgets, which fund services that also help young people get the best start in life.

“Our Bright Futures campaign is calling for councils and schools to be given the funding to offer independent mental health counselling, which would make sure that all children and young people have access to support as and when they need it.”

Notes to editors

The LGA’s Bright Futures campaign for children and young people’s mental health is calling for services that change children’s lives to be properly funded, so that all children and young people can have the bright future they deserve. 

There has been a £600 million reduction to councils’ public health grants between 2015/16 and 2019/20.


Bright Futures

Helping children and young people to fulfil their potential is a key ambition of all councils, but the local services that can support them to do so are under increasing pressure.

Bright Futures is our call to properly fund the services that change children’s lives.

Find out more