Cuts to children and youth services, which the Isle of Wight Council ‘has not been able to afford’, is 1 of 4 main theories behind the declining mental health of young people, an Island charity boss has said.
In a health scrutiny discussion at County Hall yesterday evening, Isle of Wight Youth Trust CEO Jo Dare pointed to recent research from the Youth Futures Foundation on poor mental health among 14 to 24-year-olds in England.
Following council officer presentations on the accessibility and availability of mental health support for the Island’s young people, Cowes Conservative councillor John Nicholson expressed frustration over what he saw as a lack of “prevention” discussion.
“Let’s face it, children’s mental health is the product of society,”
“You’ve only got to look at other areas – child obesity, low aspirations that we suffer from on the Isle of Wight, high illiteracy, poor employment – all these socioeconomic factors can be addressed, and they should be addressed at a strategic level.
“Have we got a strategic economic plan in this council – no I don’t think we have – not one fit for purpose.
“Have we got a director? This is the sort of level that we should be dealing with these – dealing with the root cause, not accepting that it’s a problem.
“All of you do a fantastic job – it’s really great to hear what you do – but it’s after the horse has bolted.”
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Ms Dare said:
“Absolutely we have to get to the root cause of the challenges and the decline in children and young people’s mental health. There’s been recent research by the Young Futures Foundation…undertaken by the University of Manchester and UCL in London.
“They looked at ten different determinants of why there’s been such a decline and over time they’ve come to the decision that there are four that are particularly important.
“The final one (theory) is around reduced children’s and youth services which without making a political point at all, this is a funding point, the local authority has not been able to afford over some period of years.
“The point about youth services is that they gave children and young people an ability to have a trusted adult so that there was always somebody to turn to try and prevent that escalation into poor mental health.”
more like entitled brats that spend too much time on their phones, that see the artificial life presented to them on the screen, that they aspire to and are then dejected and downbeat when they realise it is unattainable and reality is far different.
The artificial life IS all they’ve got…that’s not an entitlement it’s a death sentence? Why? Because there isn’t enough funding for life to be going on elsewhere, and the pressures they face are immense. Get out of your privilege bubble and take a good bloody look.
The Isle of Wight Council needs a DOGE. Not carried out by the current leadership, but by unbiased and talented individuals who possess skills in reducing costs and improving efficiency.
The newly elected leadership (Reform) for both North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire Councils are currently working through DOGE.
Reviewing instructions from our current Government versus ‘how much it would cost’ versus ‘do we have the money’, both newly elected Councils have decided to scrap the net zero plan set out by the previous Conservative Government and led by Labour’s Ed Miliband.
Both North & West Northamptonshire Councils found that if they attempted to fulfil the Government’s instruction to make everything net zero, it would bankrupt both Councils. And that would be before any other costs of other services, such as Adult Social Care, were even considered in the budget.
With less money coming directly from the Government, yet more demand on services that are already crippled, those managing the finances need to consider whether they continue to spend money in areas that are farcical, or take a more practical approach and use the money wisely, ensuring lives are maintained.
Implementing a DOGE, involving people who have no connection with any publicly funded organisations, can only be a positive thing. There is plenty of talent on the Island; look at those who run successful, privately owned organisations. Utilise those with leadership, change management and financial skills, and I’m sure they will soon establish where taxpayers’ money is being wasted.
I’m not inciting the Calkheads to riot, those leading the Isle of Wight Council, but it is worth questioning whether those in leadership have the skills to make the right decisions.
An example of poor leadership, as well as a lack of talent and skills, is the Boaty McBoatFace Floating Bridge fiasco. I’ve always wondered how much in revenue the Isle of Wight Council has lost while the floating bridge is out of order. Then there are the legal fees they have spent in attempting to establish that there may be a claim using the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The law states that the Consumer Rights Act is the primary legislation that covers your rights to obtain a refund when a product fails in the UK. The act also outlines your rights when you purchase goods from a trader. If the item is faulty, of unsatisfactory quality, or not fit for purpose, you have the right to a refund or a replacement.
Are there any businessmen on the Island who would like to join me in implementing DOGE in the council to examine inefficiencies, duplication, conflicts of interest (such as contracts awarded to friends), and identify ways to improve services to Caulkheads at a lower cost?
If there weren’t departments waving contracts, the businesses wouldn’t make any money would they? Of course they’re not going to join you. It’s also not them who suffer largely from lack of public services…it’s everybody else. Tell you what, have a closer look at the Tax Justice Network….most of the big movers there are businessmen, and they campaign for HIGHER taxes because they can afford them, but also for more transparency and a clamp-down on tax havens and offshore accounts. After all, just how much CAN one man eat in a lifetime? If in doubt, try asking Musk. So many big ideas for everyone else….so much money to stuff down his own gullet.
We are supposed to be a pilot area for the ‘Child First’ policy. The socio-economic factors SHOULD have been addressed while the bloody Tories were gleefully counting their shareholders profits…we’re now trying desperately to play catch-up. Some of our kids (tomorrow’s adults) hit all ten determinants, any number of which is important. We need to make sure as a community that WE do not ostracise, shame, adultify or marginalise today’s kids, work harder to provide the services and chances for enjoying childhood that they need today, or face the consequences and higher bills tomorrow of more mental and health issues, unemployment, addiction, despondency, potential criminality etc.