Teenagers slip through mental healthcare net

THERE is a ‘hidden population’ of Irish teenagers with serious mental health problems who are slipping through the healthcare net, according to a major report launched yesterday.

Reaching these troubled teens and prioritising youth mental health issues are among the main challenges facing the State, the Young People’s Mental Health report said.

The report was compiled following one of the largest studies of teen mental health in this country. It involved a survey of almost 4,000 students aged 15-17 in schools across Cork and Kerry.