Koulla Yiasouma

Treating children fairly

Paul Gosling on May 28, 2021, 9:05 am | Readers 760

While it is frequently claimed that Northern Ireland has an excellent schools system, it is clear that it is also a divided system. That division is not based only on religion, but also according to whether a pupil attends a grammar or a non-selective school, which is in turn related to the wealth of the parents. The system clearly separates children, despite the need of our society to come together to heal division. This week’s Holywell Trust Forward Together podcast …

Underfunded youth mental health services; austerity hitting child poverty levels; NI Executive delays

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on July 1, 2015, 6:30 am | Readers 655

In 2012, the five-year average rates of suicide in Northern Ireland were 4 times higher than England and Wales for 15−19 year olds and 17 times more for 10−14 year olds. [source] However, in 2013−14, only 7.8% of the total planned mental health expenditure was allocated to child and adolescent mental health services in Northern Ireland. Recent austerity measures are likely to affect the already inadequate financing and investment in all tiers of Northern Ireland CAMHS. The report of the …