ABSTRACT
An important reason for the development of the resource is that mental health problems are very common. The problems are: In 2004 around 10% of 10–16 year olds had a diagnosable mental health disorder; 50% of young adults with mental health disorders had a diagnosis by the age of 15 and nearly 75% by their late teens; and for those aged 15–24 suicide is the most common cause of death. The problems also include: 54% of young offenders have suffered a significant bereavement within two years of first offending; In 2005 the cost of mental health problems was greater than that of crime and all monies spent on the NHS and social services in the UK; and by 2020 depression will be the second leading contributor to the global burden of disease. There has been a significant increase in the number of young people self-harming in the last decade and rates in the UK are among the highest in Europe.
