Kierra Box - Young people's activist
Research showing the incidence of mental health problems among young people should not lead to a public outcry and more medication for sufferers. What these young people need is a community in which they are free to reveal and discuss their experiences, not one in which they will be simply seen as a statistical problem.
Len Smith - Gypsy activist
It was a shock to find that the official statistics on mental disorders include autistic children, where a quarter of parents said the child had tried to kill or harm themselves. Perhaps the answer lies in clearer understanding of these disorders, and focused support. Too often, the only support that parents get is from self-help groups.
Kerry Evans - Parent of two severely autistic boys
Autism is a disability, not a mental illness. A Shetland councillor called for my son to be handed to mental health to free up beds in a respite home. People with autism can self-harm, but are exhibiting behaviour which falls within the parameters of their condition. Mental health statistics need to be more accurately modelled.
Shaun Webster - Change self-advocacy group
There's not enough support for children with mental disorders or their families. The government needs to put more money in the pot. Families feel forgotten, left to cope on their own and are stressed out. More money should be put into parental support, for when they need a break or help with the housework, shopping, that sort of thing.
