Suicidal children in South Yorkshire 'being left with nowhere to turn'
It's claimed more and more children in South Yorkshire are considering suicide
Kids in South Yorkshire having suicidal thoughts are being left with nowhere to turn, according to a mental health charity in our county.
Rotherham and Barnsley Mind say they're seeing more and more children coming to them considering taking their own lives.
They're now calling for better provision of mental health support so children can talk to professionals about their problems.
Francis Hiberd runs sessions in schools for the charity - she told Hallam there's a growing problem in suicidal children:
"A lot of the time it can be how they're feeling in themselves, their own identity, not being able to go anywhere and discuss other issues with family or friends or in school. they feel like there's nowhere else for them to go - and telling someone they're suicidal they don't know how they'll react."
"It can just be home life seems to be ok - but how they're feeling within themselves, it can be the pressure of exams - we find there are a number of reasons that can make someone feel like that."
"They don't know about the places in the area that they can go to get advice and help or they feel like they can't and they feel like they have to deal with it on their own and people won't understand and take what they're saying seriously. They feel like they're just another person or just another problems and no-one really cares about them."
It's as Childline say they saw record numbers of kids contacting them about suicide last year - on average one every 30 minutes.
Francis says something needs to change the situation in South Yorkshire:
"It is very worrying because it's something we feel needs to be sorted - there need to be more places where the young people can go. There are very few places where they can get help and advice."