A recent report by the Centre for Mental Health ‘Missed Opportunities’, provides a body of evidence to support something You and Me Counselling has long recognised – that there is not enough awareness or adequate support for children and young people with mental health issues. In some cases there is a ten year gap between children experiencing their first symptoms, and when they finally receive help. Children with conduct disorder are 20 times more likely to end up in prison and four times more likely to be dependent on drugs. These problems are often even more extreme for children of substance-misusing parents as they often lack positive role models. The ‘Missed Opportunities’ report states that: “Young people generally value support that is genuine, warm, confidential, non-patronising, that co-produces solutions and builds on strong relationships”. What we have found in the past five years is that the NHS and CAMHS waiting lists are far too long for young people seeking support and in many cases the issues have to be at a certain level of harm to be considered suitable for counselling. Unfortunately for many young people before they are able to be seen the problems have escalated so far they are unable to attend education and some have been driven to taking their own lives.