Sir, – There is one sad conclusion to draw upon reading "The 'underbelly' of children's mental health services" (Health & Family, August 24th): our children deserve so much better.
Emergency departments really are no place for children and adolescents in deep distress.
By any measure in this country we are failing many of our children and their families abysmally. The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over expecting different results. There is no excuse for the ongoing and continuing lack of proper funding and resourcing for appropriate mental healthcare provision for children and adolescents in Ireland.
A pandemic of pain among our young should be seen as the “fifth wave” to be tackled with speed and urgency.
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Doing nothing is not an option we can afford. – Yours, etc,
STEPHEN
O’HARA,
School Chaplain,
Carrowmore,
Sligo.