40% increase in youngsters self harming because of poverty since David Cameron came to power.

[shdaveed]

So many distressing headlines in the media recently regarding children and young people. Ranging from - sexual violence in parts of the UK is as bad as in war zones to a 15% increase in Care Leavers seeking help from homeless hostels, a 16% increase over the past year.

The most horrifying headline I read recently was a comment by Dr Maggie Atkinson the Children's Commissioner for England stating that the public are less outraged by the neglect of children than the neglect of older people because vulnerable children and children in care are seen as bad and troublesome, the reality is they are at increased risk of self harm because of adverse background and on-going stress. A bad indictment on UK Care system.

We know that most mental health problems are caused by poverty and yet we live in a country where child poverty is estimated to reach 5 million + by 2020. Where is the public outrage?

[jayjay1953]

Not good reading. We don't have a history of caring for vulnerable children and young people. You only have to look at recent child sexual exploitation cases to see the attitudes of professionals and the establishment is one of contempt for vulnerable children. So many of the professionals in these cases did not stop the abuse of children because they thought they were bad because they were in care. Then there are the legal professionals in recent child abuse cases who have said that children are complicit in their on abuse. Needless to say the children involved were vulnerable from poor backgrounds. Nothing changes!