Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
YOU’VE LEFT OUR KIDS ALONE
1 in 4 young people in Northern Ireland now suffering with their mental health
YOUNG people in Northern Ireland are battling a mental health epidemic and increasing poverty due to the political crisis.
That was the stark warning from the Children’s Commissioner who revealed one in four suffer “significant issues”.
And the blame is laid at the door of Stormont with no new policy initiatives being pursued. Koulla Yiasouma said: “I am gutted for our kids.”
1 in 5 have ‘significant mental health issues’
NORTHERN Ireland’s powersharing crisis has left young people’s mental health services on their knees, the Children’s Commissioner has warned.
Koulla Yiasouma said almost one-in-four are now impacted by “significant issues”.
She expressed concern the needs of youngsters are not being properly addressed due to a lack of government action.
Mrs Yiasouma, who began her second four-year term in office at the weekend, also cautioned not enough was being done to tackle soaring child poverty rates.
She said of the political impasse: “I am just gutted we are here.
“I am gutted for our kids. I don’t want another four years of this, I want to be a commissioner who can advise our Government on the best way forward for the children of Northern Ireland and I want to be working in partnership with ministers, with the executive and Stormont and I am gutted I have not been able to do that bit of my job for two years.”
Mrs Yiasouma’s role is to promote and safeguard the rights and interests of the youngest generation.
Civil servants are currently in charge of running public services but the lack of elected ministers limits their ability to pursue new policy initiatives.
Mrs Yiasouma said they were doing their best but but added: “There’s lots of things we need an Assembly, a minister and government to be able to do.”