Mental health, already a Cinderella service is facing a tsunami of new patients among children and teens, claimed Councillor Moira Shemilt this week.
Councillor Shemilt, SNP member for Livingston South, said West Lothian needs to start building long-term plans to tackle a problem which has grown on the back of the covid lockdown.
She told a meeting of the council’s Education Executive: “Reports out this week suggest that millions of young people under 15 are going to need long-term support to deal with the consequence of the lockdown.
“Given what have been dealing and what we are facing day to day and week to week, have we given any though to meeting an anticipated tsunami of problems facing young people?.”
Councillor Shemilt branded existing service as “Cinderella” - poorly funded and already under constant pressure from high demand.
Head of education, James Cameron, said he couldn’t answer to what resources would be made available.
But he outlined the work the council was already doing as part of a multi-agency approach.
Education staff work with colleagues in other council services such as family services and social policy and an education and mental health and well-being recovery group that had been set up to provide support during the lockdowns.
He said the main benefit of this group was the ability to triage referrals of young people to the services that would be best placed to help.
“We have found that to be very successful, and beneficial for our young people.
“A multi-agency approach,” added Mr Cameron.
He said he would be happy to provide a further report on the progress of health and well-being work within the council.
“I think we could safely say mental health services have been the Cinderella service and it would be really good to start to think what we could do,” said Councillor Shemilt.
