The past few years has seen Great Britain melt under the mental health epidemic. Depression has risen, anxiety has risen and, as a consequence, more and more young people are choosing to end their own lives, failed by the system and made to believe that they have no future. CAMHS, the organisation meant to be the lighthouse for young people, has become notorious for its waiting lists and embarrassingly inadequate support whilst the burden on teachers has risen to unsustainable levels. In Britain, we are at risk of raising a generation of depressed, visionless young people with their confidence and ability restrained by the pressures of modern education.
It’s always interesting to see how our fellow European neighbours are dealing with common issues and Denmark are yet again leading the way. In response to attempted suicides amongst schoolchildren going over 1000 in 2021, the Danish government started a 10-year action plan with the goals of (and I quote) “prioritising prevention, early detection, and equitable access to high-quality care, as well as improving the overall mental health and wellbeing of the population.” The Danish Liberal Party are the second largest in the current coalition government and have made it clear that education is a key priority; shown clearly in their pledge to treble operating grants for voluntary children’s and youth work.