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| Mental Health: Coroner raises funding concerns after teen's death | Mental Health: Coroner raises funding concerns after teen's death |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Mason Clark was 14-years-old when he took his own life | Mason Clark was 14-years-old when he took his own life |
| A coroner has highlighted funding issues in mental health services following an inquest into the death of a 14-year-old boy. | A coroner has highlighted funding issues in mental health services following an inquest into the death of a 14-year-old boy. |
| Mason Clark was one of six teenagers who took their own lives in West Sussex between May and September 2021. | Mason Clark was one of six teenagers who took their own lives in West Sussex between May and September 2021. |
| Senior coroner Penelope Schofield said: "The issue of funding in a concern for me." | Senior coroner Penelope Schofield said: "The issue of funding in a concern for me." |
| Authorities in West Sussex said they were "committed" to developing mental health support for young people. | |
| Ms Schofield described local mental health services as being "overwhelmed" and that early intervention should be "paramount". | |
| She said: "There are attempts to utilise resources, but there are still gaps, long waiting lists that are not acceptable, a lack of counselling in school holidays and insufficient counsellors in schools. | She said: "There are attempts to utilise resources, but there are still gaps, long waiting lists that are not acceptable, a lack of counselling in school holidays and insufficient counsellors in schools. |
| "As far as funding is concerned, it is a matter that I will constantly be keeping under review as I feel that's my responsibility to the community of West Sussex." | "As far as funding is concerned, it is a matter that I will constantly be keeping under review as I feel that's my responsibility to the community of West Sussex." |
| Three of the six teenagers who took their own lives last year were 14 years old. | Three of the six teenagers who took their own lives last year were 14 years old. |
| BBC Action Line | BBC Action Line |
| If you have been affected by any of these issues in this story you can visit the BBC's Action Line. | If you have been affected by any of these issues in this story you can visit the BBC's Action Line. |
| Mason's mother said her son began having problems when he was eight, but she was unable to get him any help because all the mental health services said he was too young. | Mason's mother said her son began having problems when he was eight, but she was unable to get him any help because all the mental health services said he was too young. |
| Jess Clark said: "First his age was a problem, then he didn't meet certain thresholds. Then there were nine-month waiting lists. | Jess Clark said: "First his age was a problem, then he didn't meet certain thresholds. Then there were nine-month waiting lists. |
| "We tried other services. No-one called back. The information sharing was so poor." | "We tried other services. No-one called back. The information sharing was so poor." |
| Ms Clark wants the government to establish an action group to review of the mental health services available to young people. | Ms Clark wants the government to establish an action group to review of the mental health services available to young people. |
| Mason's mother says his mental health issues began when he was eight | Mason's mother says his mental health issues began when he was eight |
| As well as Mason, Ms Schofield conducted inquests into the deaths of Kayley Taylor and Robyn Skilton, both 14, Marcie Walton, 16, and Markus O'Neill, 17. She will also hold an inquest into the death of another 17-year-old boy. | |
| Following Robyn Skilton's inquest in June, Ms Schofield said neglect had contributed to her death, and that she would be sending a prevention of future deaths report to the then Health Secretary Sajid Javid | Following Robyn Skilton's inquest in June, Ms Schofield said neglect had contributed to her death, and that she would be sending a prevention of future deaths report to the then Health Secretary Sajid Javid |
| The coroner recorded a narrative verdict into the death of Mason. | The coroner recorded a narrative verdict into the death of Mason. |
| A spokesman for West Sussex County Council children's services said: "Together with our partners, West Sussex County Council is committed to developing mental health and suicide support services for young people and everyone else in our communities." | |
| A spokesperson for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: "We have been working with our health, education and social care partners to provide additional support for young people, their families, carers and wider school communities. | A spokesperson for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: "We have been working with our health, education and social care partners to provide additional support for young people, their families, carers and wider school communities. |
| "This includes the introduction of a new referral system for young people which provides a single route to access specialist emotional wellbeing and mental health support, and an expansion of mental health support and multi-agency support in schools." | "This includes the introduction of a new referral system for young people which provides a single route to access specialist emotional wellbeing and mental health support, and an expansion of mental health support and multi-agency support in schools." |
| If you're affected by the issues in this piece, you can find support from BBC Action Line. | If you're affected by the issues in this piece, you can find support from BBC Action Line. |
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