Mental health: Mum of Cramlington girl, 12, who took her own life says kids should get help quicker

The mum of a 12-year-old girl who took her own life is calling the Government to ensure children with mental health problems are seen faster.

Jamie Patterson's daughter Charley Ann Patterson was found dead at her home in Cramlington, Northumberland, on 1 October 2020.

She was bullied and struggled to get mental health support in the months before her death, her parents previously said.

Her mum said before she passed away, her daughter had asked GPs for help.

She has been campaigning for children with mental health problems to be seen quicker.

Ms Patterson said: "There are too many kids out there going through what Charley went through and unfortunately there are too many that are ending up the same way Charley did.

"When we went to the GP and we went to the hospital and Charley said both times, 'I want help'. How clear do they need it to be?

"All we've been given is promise, after promise, after promise that this is going to be looked into and that they're going to be putting money towards mental health.

She added: "We're not actually seeing any action.

"Our kids are our future and if we're not prepared to look after them, then what's the point?"

• Video report by Chris Conway.

One mental health charity in North Tyneside has seen an increase in the number of parents reaching out to ask for help for their children.

Eddie Dean, the founder of Anxious Minds, said the pandemic and the cost of living crisis has had an effect on the number of young people needing help with their mental health.

Mr Dean said: "We're finding a generation of people, now these young people are crying out for help.

"Early intervention is the key to stop a young person from becoming a lifetime user of mental health services we need to get young people in quickly and provide that initial support programme."

Speaking in Prime Ministers Questions today, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "We are doing more to make sure that the extra money we're putting into tackling mental health is particularly focused on young people.

"Where we've seen a very startling increase in the number of young people with mental health conditions that we all would like to arrest, and reduce.

"That's why we're putting more mental health community support into schools and colleges across the country, that's being rolled out as we speak."

In a statement, a Government spokesperson said: "We're doing what we can to support children and young people with their mental health.

"We are already investing an extra £2.3 billion a year into mental health services by 2023/24, meaning an additional 345,000 children and young people will by then be able to access NHS-funded mental health support."

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