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Anne Longfield, the Children’s Commissioner for England, responding to the Prime Minister’s comments on children’s mental health, said:

“It is welcome to hear the Prime Minister talking about providing more support for children’s mental health. A focus on wellbeing in schools and on early intervention and regular updates on children’s mental health are all important measures I have been calling for. However, we need to see urgent action and implementation now. We cannot afford to wait five years, which feels like a lifetime to a young child.

“I want to see a counsellor in every secondary school, every primary school having access to counselling services, a closing of the huge gap in what is spent on adult and children’s mental health and a system in place that provides support and treatment for every child who needs it, when they need it. Today’s announcement is a step forward that must now be matched by proper funding and more ambitious delivery.”