In a recent report by BBC News, Bedfordshire, the family and friends of Amelia Butlin, a 19-year-old student who took her own life in her first year at university, have urged the next government to prioritize mental health support for young people in schools, colleges, and universities. Amelia, from Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, was a popular and outgoing teenager with many friends and a loving family. She had ADHD, struggled with anxiety and depression, and found it difficult to separate from social media and her mobile phone after the pandemic.
Amelia’s mother, Becci Butlin, stated that politicians must acknowledge the mental health crisis facing this generation, as they are using social media in unprecedented ways with an unhealthy dependence on it. She believes that mental health is a much wider problem than people realize. Naomi Woodford, a mental health support worker at Cedars Upper School, which Amelia attended, echoed these sentiments and emphasized the importance of mental health support in schools, colleges, and universities.
Ms. Woodford described the current situation as a national crisis, with only a few schools in Leighton Buzzard having the resources to offer pupils mental health support. According to the Office for National Statistics, more people in England and Wales died by suicide in 2021 than in 2020, with 6.9% more deaths by suicide registered than in the previous year.
Amelia’s mother, Becci Butlin, expressed concern over the complexity of getting the right help. She noted that schools are not equipped to help children and teenagers, and Amelia had left school before seeking help. Ms. Butlin stated that the next government should focus on improving mental health care in schools and by GPs, ensuring that those in need of specialist care get a referral as soon as possible.
In tragic circumstances, Amelia’s friends recently organized a 15km walk in her memory and to raise money for the suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably. Alicia Down, a friend of Amelia’s, said that losing Amelia had been heartbreaking and had a domino effect on her and their friendship group. Emily Ferguson, another friend, expressed concern over the impact of social media on young people’s confidence and the pressure to conform to certain standards.
Charlotte Millar, a university student and friend of Amelia’s, expressed concern over the lack of preparation for university life, particularly the stress of A-levels and moving to university. She stressed the importance of asking for help but understood that it was not always easy. She suggested that universities could be more flexible when students felt overwhelmed.
Ms. Woodford has seen a growing number of young people struggling with mental health issues since the pandemic, including exam stress, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating issues. She called for emergency intervention, mental health provision in all schools, colleges, and universities, and a focus on mental health support in the upcoming election.
The main parties have made commitments to improve mental health support for young people. Labour plans to introduce specialist mental health support for children and young people in every school and recruit additional staff to treat children and adults. The Conservative Party wants drop-in hubs for 11- to 25-year-olds in every community by 2030 and expand mental health support teams to all schools by 2030. The Liberal Democrats want mental health hubs in all primary and secondary schools and extend young people’s mental health services up to the age of 25. The Green Party wants a councillor in every school and sixth form and plans to ensure people can access mental health therapies within 28 days. Reform UK will launch an inquiry into social media harm on children and promote app-free smartphones, while increasing employment to improve mental health.
