Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/724/14761
From The Socialist newspaper, 27 June 2012
Cuts ignore immense needs
Jane Ellwood
After the 1950s, a network of child and adolescent services, staffed by highly trained, skilful social workers, specialist teachers, psychiatrists, psychotherapists and psychologists, was gradually established in specialist centres.
As a consultant child psychotherapist I have seen how a child or young person can have their life transformed by the chance to be heard by someone who can make sense of what's going on, or by family therapy or group work, art or music therapy.
Unfortunately Labour-controlled Waltham Forest council, among many others, seems to be dismantling this vital service in the name of Tory and Lib Dem-imposed cuts. The borough's 5-19 year olds have had services hit with an axe.
Educational welfare has been cut from 24 to five posts. Behavioural support will be scrapped, community safety will lose five posts.
The careers service will be cut by a third, the youth offending team by a half. The Connexions Team will be decimated. The youth service will be cut and will rely on volunteers. Social work teams that help children and families will suffer cuts and face an increased workload.
It makes sense to work with children and young people rather than leaving them to withdraw into unhappiness, depression or mental illness. Or, as often happens with boys, become truants with all the risks of street life not to mention the sense of failure and lack of achievement that these young people are burdened with.
Why would anyone in their senses cut back on help to this section of the community? The alternative is vastly more expensive - a life on benefit, in and out of hospital or prison.
I mention the cost because that seems to be the measure by which Waltham Forest council judges services, not the immense need, nor the long term benefits to the young person, their family and to society, which are also immense.
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In The Socialist 27 June 2012:
Socialist Party news and analysis
Hypocrites! Tories bash benefits, rich let off the hook
Breadline Britain - living in poverty
Poverty and job worries hit mental health
Teachers report children going hungry
Government of rich ups war on welfare state
Miliband speech: no answer to the race to the bottom
Protest for affordable housing - join the Austerity Games
Socialist Party NHS campaign
Socialist Party workplace news
London bus workers show their strength
Police wade in at Coryton protest
HMRC members show their opposition to another round of job cuts and privatisation
RMT conference prepares for battle
Sheffield recycling workers: Support their indefinite strike action
Unison conference Delegates call for effective battle on pay
Unite conference 'The renaissance of trade unionism'
Block on Progress - "intolerable think tank"?
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition: Building the fight against all cuts
International socialist news and analysis
Spain: New epicentre of crisis in Europe
Kazakh embassy protest to free Bolat Atabayev
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