We know that 50 per cent of adult mental health problems have started by the age of 14, but for too long there hasn’t been enough focus on mental healthcare in this country. It has been surrounded by an unacceptable stigma that has left too many to suffer in silence.

That’s why I pushed for Hertfordshire to be one of the first areas to benefit from a new kind of mental health provision. Thanks to extra government funding, two new mental health support teams will be set up in our area, designed to support children and young people with mild to moderate mental health conditions, by working alongside schools and colleges.

I’ve been told by teachers that, in many instances, they can be the first to spot signs of possible mental health conditions. That’s why we need to be able to work with schools and colleges, to deliver a much more joined up approach to mental healthcare.

Children and young people in Watford will soon be able to access the right care, without going through a lengthy referral process. There will be a new four-week wait time limit as standard, ensuing quick access to support.

The mental health support teams will be made up of a brand new workforce of education and mental health practitioners, and supervised by experienced NHS staff from the children’s mental health workforce. These teams will be paid for as part of the £20.5 billion extra funding being put into the NHS.

  • Richard Harrington is Conservative MP for Watford