Exeter MP raises alarm over children's mental health crisis in Devon

Exmouth and Exeter East MP, David Reed, has raised urgent concerns about children’s mental health services in Devon after receiving nearly 1,000 handwritten letters from pupils at St Peter’s Church of England Secondary School.

The letters, delivered just before Christmas, all began with a stark message:

“I’m writing to you about support for mental health issues among young people. As you know, 1 in 10 young people in the UK have a diagnosed condition of anxiety or depression - that’s three in every classroom. Equally, there is not enough support for these young people who need it. In 2024, only 32% of young people referred to CAMHS received support. I would like to know what you are going to do about this issue?”

While the statistics were striking, it was the personal stories in the letters that Reed found most troubling.

“The letters contained personal stories of how pupils and groups of young people have grappled with their mental health over recent years. From self-harm to suicidal ideation, the personal stories were unsettling to say the least,” he said.

Over the Christmas break, Reed was unable to shake the scale of the issue and spent time researching why so many children are experiencing mental health difficulties. “The research is hazy and points to many directions, such as the effect of the Covid pandemic, or social media,” he noted.

Recognising that this crisis extends beyond Exeter, Reed raised the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions, taking it directly to the top.

“Before Christmas, I received nearly 1,000 handwritten letters from pupils at St Peter’s secondary school in Exeter. Each letter strongly advocated for greater support to tackle the mental health challenges faced by young people, with many sharing deeply unsettling personal stories,” he said in the Commons.

He emphasised his commitment to improving local mental health services but also highlighted that this is a national issue.

“I am committed to improving local mental health services to help young people build the resilience they need to live happy and healthy lives. However, I know these challenges are not unique to my constituency and are being faced by children across our country. So can the Prime Minister please outline what steps his government are taking to enhance mental health support for our children nationwide?”

The Prime Minister acknowledged the scale of the problem and outlined his government’s planned measures.

“I thank the hon. Member for raising an issue of huge concern in his constituency and in all constituencies. Far too many young people are not receiving the care that they need, so we will provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school, recruit an additional 8,500 staff to deal with children’s and adult mental health services, and roll out our Young Futures hubs in every community.”

While Reed welcomed the commitments, he stressed that waiting for national policy changes is not an option.

“Although it’s reassuring that this new government is making provisions to help improve the situation nationally, I am aware that any such initiative will take a long time to set up and filter through to the places that need it,” he said.

To avoid long delays, Reed is committed to bringing services directly into schools. “So, I have made a commitment to bring services to local schools so that we don’t have to wait around for national policy to set in.”

His first step has been engaging directly with local schools to better understand the challenges. “Last week I spent time at St Peter’s School and at the Cranbrook Education Campus, and I will be continuing to engage to ensure that our young people receive the support they need,” he said.

He is also calling on local professionals, educators, and mental health experts to help shape the next steps for Devon. “If you work in this field or you have ideas on how it can be improved locally, I’d very much like to hear your thoughts, so please do email me at: David.reed.mp@parliament.uk.”