'Pitiful' mental health funding from Government worth just 72p a child in Sheffield, Louise Haigh warns

Sheffield MP Louise Haigh has hit out at the “pitiful” level of Government support to help the mental health of schoolchildren after analysis showed just 72p per child was made available to young people in her city from a national fund.

The Government’s Wellbeing for Education Recovery Fund was established “to further help education staff in local schools and colleges to promote and support the wellbeing and mental health of pupils and students during recovery from the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak”.

It amounted to £7m in 2021/22 nationwide, with just £53,000 made available to Sheffield in 2021/22 and £63,000 in 2020/21.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ms Haigh’s office said that given there are 73,000 school-age children living in Sheffield, this means the funding amounts to just 72p per child in 2021/22 and 86p per child in 2020/21.

Louise Haigh has warned there is a lack of adequate funding to support children dealing with mental health issues.Louise Haigh has warned there is a lack of adequate funding to support children dealing with mental health issues.
Louise Haigh has warned there is a lack of adequate funding to support children dealing with mental health issues.

The Sheffield Heeley MP said: “This pitiful sum is a drop in the ocean and shows just how little value has been placed on children’s recovery from the pandemic.

Schools are essential support for children, but they are being denied the help they need to tackle this mental health crisis head on.

“This Government’s meagre plan risks failing a generation of schoolchildren, and it’s the most vulnerable in communities nationwide who will pay the price.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It follows a report by then Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield in January last year warning that the current services available to support children’s mental health “are still nowhere near meeting the needs of many hundreds of thousands of children”.

The Children’s Commissioner argues this is because of a lack of ambition in improving children’s mental health services, despite numerous Government announcements on children’s mental health.”

In the last Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced an extra £1.8bn to help children recover lost learning, made available on top of £3.1bn already pledged.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you'll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click here to subscribe.