One of the real issues surrounding mental health is education.

Most schools don’t offer any specific lessons or courses when it comes to mental health issues and taking steps to deal with them. 

This is something that in Dorset needs to change. If people don’t get the key information that they need regarding mental health issues it could be ignored until it is far too late. I, myself, am now in sixth form and, in my three years at upper school, I only heard mental health being discussed once.

On the first day of sixth form we were told we must look after our mental health and that the sixth form support team would be there to help us, should we have any troubles with mental health. But my questions are; where has that support been for the past three years? Where was that support when I was taking GCSEs?

Mental health support should be paramount in today’s education and should be accessible by any age group at any time - not just in young adults, because over the past few years it has become clear that mental health issues can affect anyone.

I am glad that I now have the option to get support with my mental health, however I know that it would be widely appreciated and commended if that service was made available to all years.