THE government must provide more support to children suffering from mental health problems, including funding for local and regional services, a campaigning expert has warned.

Last week, NHS England data revealed that in 2022 there was a 39 per cent rise in referrals for mental health treatment for those under 18, including for depression and eating disorders, taking the total to more than a million.

Speaking to the Morning Star, counsellor and mental health activist Lily-Jo said: “We are now seeing the fallout of the mental health impact of a global pandemic, particularly when we take into account that mental health services were much less accessible during 2020-21.”