Why is the world of education and mental health so complicated?

I was struck this week talking to a few different parents. These parents had children and teenagers who have additional needs and mental health concerns.

I was struck this week talking to a few different parents. These parents had children and teenagers who have additional needs and mental health concerns. I've been working with parents and young people for many years. Whilst I can offer much needed therapeutic support sometimes practical support is needed. So yet again I found myself rifling through my mental roladex of potential support these tired and worried parents could access. This is hard, partially because anyone who knows me knows my memory is atrocious and partially because organisations are forever changing their policies, funding, access or even if their doors are open.

Often organisations like schools and mental health agencies themselves don't know what they have access to, what funding streams are available, even what they should be providing. Professionals themselves struggle to advocate for their young people and their families because they are bound by government guidelines, finances and limited ever changing resources. Parents, young people and professionals are often forced to navigate a difficult landscape, sometimes this even becomes a legal or life and death issue.

There are many areas that need support:

• How do you start the process of getting an educational health care plan?

• What happens if your child struggles to attend school because the environment is too hard to access?

• Who can help in those moments at home when your client is trying to hurt themselves or someone else?

• How do you cope when wait lists for support are 18 months long?

• How do you navigate the complex language of diagnoses?