Tag Archives: mental health
A glimpse of the unseen absolute poverty in 21st century UK
Most people are completely unaware of the extent to which there is poverty today
Posted on by Vicki Fitzgerald
With thanks to Rhiannon Lockley who wrote this blog for us. Rhiannon is West mids regional women’s officer for UCU.
“We were really struggling. It really did get to the point where we just didn’t know how we were going to cope. It was literally pick one thing and do that, a case of either stay warm or eat.”
(Michaela, a Birmingham mother helped by Gateway Family Services Pregnancy Outreach Team, talks to ITV news, Wednesday 11th April 2012)
Usually when people talk about poverty in the UK they are referring to relative poverty. A person classed as relatively impoverished is significantly below average in wealth, meaning they are economically unable to participate fully in society. High levels of relative poverty indicate high levels of social inequality, which as has been argued in Wilkinson and Pickett’s 2009 book The Spirit Level are linked to a variety of negative problems in society. Relative poverty impacts on things like physical health, mental well-being, educational and career opportunities.
New membership strategy and resources to help schools manage student stress
Anxiety disorders in children
Edited by Andy Porter editor@wellbeingnorfolk.co.uk
Anxiety UK, a leading national charity, has launched a school membership subscription to help teaching staff address the difficulties and stigmas that surround mental health in schools.
It is estimated that one–in–ten children and young people, aged five to 16 experience a mental health difficulty.
The school membership subscription gives schools access to the Anxiety UK helpline and price discounts on a range of measures, products and evidence–based training courses which will help teachers and students with the recognition and management of anxiety.
Why I’m resigning from the panel that scrutinises work capability assessments
The DWP won’t act on growing concern about the effect of the reassessment process on people with mental health problems
For the last couple of years, welfare reform has consistently been an important issue for people with mental health problems. And one aspect in particular has dominated: the work capability assessment (WCA). It’s worth remembering that the WCA was initially conceived before the recession, when this country was estimated to be within a year of achieving full employment. Even in those early days, we at Mind urged caution as we had real concerns about how a new system would be applied.
