Theresa May launches ‘shared society’ vision as she vows to improve support for teachers to spot mental health problems in kids early
The Prime Minister has laid out her ideas to heal divisions in Britain, with "fairness and solidarity at its heart"
THERESA May has launched her new plans for a "shared society" to combat divisions in Britain as she vowed to improve support for teachers to spot mental health issues in kids.
In the first of what is expected to be a string of domestic policy announcements, the Prime Minister today laid out her ideas for Government to help bring Britain back together, with "fairness and solidarity at its heart".
Mrs May said this morning: "Injustice and unfairness are the things that drive us apart."
During her first major speech of the year, the PM committed herself to delivering "wholesale social reform" as part of her vision for a "society that works for everyone".
"There is more to life than individual self interest", she added. "The central challenge of our times is to overcome division."
In a speech in central London, she promised to introduce more training for teachers in secondary schools to help deal with the "hidden injustice" of mental illness in children.
This will include a review of services for children and teenagers, and more help in diagnosing illnesses.
Her plans also include strengthening links between schools and specialist staff, and an expansion of digital therapies.
But experts have said that more funding was needed to approach the crisis.
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Around three children in every classroom will experience a mental illness.
She said this morning: "I want us to employ the power of government as a force for good to transform the way we deal with mental health problems right across society, and at every stage of life."
The PM added that it was a "historic opportunity to right a wrong, and give people deserving of compassion and support the attention and treatment they deserve."
Today the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, said the PM was making mental health a priority, and wanted to help end the stigma surrounding it too.
He said: "Our particular focus is mental health for young people, I think that's where we do the least well of all NHS services."
"We know its a huge worry for parents, with the pressures of social media, cyber bullying, the increases in self harm we are sadly seeing."
Mrs May also used the speech to expand on her vision for a shared society, following from her promise on the steps of Downing Street last year to create a country that "works for everyone".
She said that many people were "getting by" not "getting on", and that she wanted to see a country that recognised the importance of communities.
"The very word citizen implies we have responsibilities to the people around us," she said. "Too often, those responsibilities have been forgotten as the cult of individualism has taken hold."
She also spoke about the dominance of divisive fringe politics , and said that Brexit was a chance to change Britain for the better.
"Britain is going through a period of great national change," she said, warning against the politics of the hard left and extreme right taking hold across Europe.
She added: "They turn to those who offer easy answers... and always know what and who to blame."
But she insisted that her Government had the right answers to help people who were struggling in life.
"Mainstream centre ground Government ... understands what needs to change and has a plan to set things right," she said.
But despite dramatic reports of chaos in hospitals over the winter period, the PM said today that it "wasn't unusual" to see pressures at this time of year.
It comes after the Red Cross’ warning – a description rejected by NHS England – while the British Medical Association said the Government should be “ashamed” of the situation.