A brave father talks about his 10 year old daughter's suffering in the link below, and the desperate situation that numerous parents find themselves in when trying to find safety and support for their young children. I cannot put his plea into better words and I would challenge any parent to disagree with his demand for immediate help.
http://news.sky.com/story/shortage-of-mental-health-beds-for-young-people-10515728
Our country has many battles to fight and I have faith we will win most of them. My sanity and optimism lies in the knowledge that we collectively have strength of character and the resources we need, in terms of money, generosity of spirit and expertise, to end the suffering afflicted by mental health problems.
As a practicing private psychotherapist, previously employed by the NHS and charitable sector, I must hold my nerve and count on the kindness of strangers in this instance. If we don't win this particular fight for our children and future generations to come, then my work is of little use and I will continue to firefight my way through the wreckage of people's lives, long after the damage has been done and early intervention could have saved so many lives.
Please share this call to action with other like-minded people and any help you might be able to give. Together we can achieve anything (corny but true)!. In the words of Mr Lethbridge:
"Do something about it; Make the changes Now"
In the meantime, I will continue to take my place at the frontline of mental health services, and hope that waiting lists across the country will not be any where near as high as they are, this time next year.
