Mike Hedges welcomes new  look online support launched providing mental health support for young people

Mike Hedges welcomes new  look online support launched providing mental health support for young people

Speaking from his Morriston Office, Local MS Mike Hedges said…. ‘ Mental Health is a big issue for young people and it is a sad fact that mental health services for young people have often been at the bottom of priorities leading to poor experiences and very long waiting lists for referrals to specialist services.

I welcome the new online resource; we must move with the times as young people access more and more information and services it is the right move.

I hope that people will share this announcement far and wide so people are aware of this new facility’

An online resource dedicated to helping young people aged between 11 and 25  to access mental health support has been relaunched to include new information and advice.

The launch coincides with Children’s Mental Health Week, taking place between 7 – 13 February.

The refreshed young person’s mental health tool kit is available via the educational website Hwb, the National Digital Learning Platform. The toolkit features links to a range of external websites, apps and helplines that are designed to support young people with their mental health and wellbeing.

The toolkit was first launched in 2020 and provides a single point of access to well-known organisations that support young people. The resources have been selected with the needs of all young people in mind and cover the following topics:

• Coronavirus and your wellbeing
• Crisis
• Keeping healthy
• Loss
• Low mood
• Anxiety

Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle said: “It’s Children’s Mental Health week and a good opportunity to highlight the importance of children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. 

The past two years have been extremely challenging but we recognise that most young people who need help won’t require specialist mental health services. For them we must ensure that different levels of support are available, when and where they need it. I’m pleased that we are able to provide young people in Wales’ with  advice and support through Hwb.

It’s essential that young people and their families can access advice that reflects their needs. This self-help resource will do that and will provide tailored age-appropriate information. I would encourage families, schools, and groups to make young people aware of this key resource available to them.”

Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, said: “The emotional mental health and wellbeing of  children and young people is an absolute priority for me, and our ‘whole school’ approach ensures this is central to the way schools work and touch on all the different aspects of school life.

“Getting the right support at the right time, in many cases, can prevent longer-term adverse effects. Hwb is a familiar learning platform for young people in Wales, so the toolkit will be easily accessible for young people as and when they need it.”

ENDS