Kids Still Wait Too Long For Mental Health Help

GOVERNMENT UNDER FIRE Treatment target has never been met

- ANDREW QUINN

THE target for young people starting mental health treatment has never been met since it was introduced by the Scottish Government a decade ago.

Freedom of Information Requests from the Scottish Lib Dems show the 100 per cent mental health treatment target of 18 weeks or less has been missed for at least 43,000 young people.

The Lib Dems said the SNP should "invest in driving down waiting times so that we can install more counsellors in schools and roll out more mental health professionals in schools" The Scottish Government set a target for young people to begin mental health treatment within 18 weeks in December 2014.