In January, after writing in the Herald about supporting young people, I have had a number of constituents contact me about this issue.

The past year has pushed many of us to our limits – not being able see the people we love or do the things we love.

And we are right to feel that way. Young people have missed out on vital time with their teachers and peers in school and university, which has exacerbated the mental health crisis amongst them.

At the beginning of February, I wrote to Nadine Dorries, the Minister for Mental Health, asking how the Government will ensure that children are not left behind due to delayed assessments and referrals. We have not yet received a response.

The reality is, however, that the pandemic has only exacerbated the UK’s pre-existing mental health crisis. The Government should be sprinting to aid our mental health services and those in need, yet they are barely even taking baby steps. I am delighted that, locally, Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats are leading that charge to ensure we treat this crisis with the urgency it deserves.

In November, the Chancellor announced £500m specifically for young people’s mental health. Done right, that would make a remarkable difference. Yet, having spoken to mental health groups and charities within my constituency, even now, it is unclear who is eligible or how you receive that extra support. Furthermore, the bid to redevelop the Warneford Hospital, one of the oldest inpatient units in the UK, was recently rejected.

The Government now needs to outline their plan on how they will immediately protect and support our young people, followed by a long-term strategy to rebuild a healthcare system which is on its knees. Young people are our future and they deserve our support. This must include giving schools the resources to make positive interventions, including expanding mental health support teams to every school, radically improving and standardising school counselling services, and ensuring children and young people’s mental health services are available to everyone who needs them.

My heartfelt thanks go to all the mental health services, charity and organisations in Oxford West and Abingdon and around the country for the work you have been doing to support those who need it. And a big thank you to our local councillors who have been working with these organisations.

I hope that, as the Government continues to outline its Covid exit strategy, and at the next spending review in April, we will see it want to take more than just baby steps.

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