Minors’ mental health issues up 30%

Children are becoming the hidden victims of the recession, with the number of minors needing help for mental health problems surging 30% in two years.

The situation was revealed by the organisers of a major mental health conference set to take place next month. They said families must protect their children from adult woes.

Speaking ahead of the National Mental Health Conference, which will focus on issues affecting children and teenagers, chairman Ian Gargan said there had been a sharp rise in child mental health problems linked to the recession. The clinical director at Imagine Health, who has worked for the HSE and the Department of Children, said cases of depression, withdrawal, and social dysfunction were on the rise.