Dead at 16

The findings of this investigation, including any recommendations that could improve protocols and procedures currently in place, should be swiftly reviewed by Cabinet with a view to implementation as soon as possible. It is essential that these safe houses function at an optimal level if we, as a society, are to protect our most vulnerable. To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, the greatness of a society can be judged by the way its children are treated.

No child should end up dead at the age of 16. Not only is this a tragic loss of life, it is a devastating blow to all those around the child.

On Monday, the Children’s Authority said it was focusing on children housed at the centre, and therapeutic support was being provided to the children as well as the staff.

It is essential that therapeutic support is provided not only in the short-term but also in the long run. Trauma manifests itself in often insidious ways and at unpredictable intervals. These children need to be able to draw upon the resources they will need as they face the future together.

Sadly, while the victim in this case was assessed as depressed, that intervention did not prevent his death. Whatever lessons can be learned must be applied to future cases.

One of the major challenges when it comes to tackling mental health issues in teenagers is the stigma that accompanies these issues generally. Mental health is a public-health concern and until it is seen as such, we will continue to lose lives needlessly.

Too often are people — both young and old — asked to “man up” or to dismiss clear signs of distress amid the hustle and bustle of modern-day stresses. We do not treat mental-health issues seriously, viewing them as temporal when they may reflect long-term patterns and underestimating their depth by finding easy explanations for conduct that is morose.

As a society we must arm ourselves with knowledge and take this matter seriously.

Know the warning signs. These include: withdrawal from friends and family members; trouble in romantic relationships; difficulty getting along with others; changes in the quality of schoolwork or lower grades; rebellious behaviours; unusual gift-giving or giving away own possessions; appearing bored or distracted; writing or drawing pictures about death; running away from home; changes in eating habits; dramatic personality changes in appearance (for the worse); sleep disturbances; drug or alcohol abuse; talk of suicide, even in a joking way.

Those who man hotlines like Lifeline — 645-2800 and 645- 6616 — should be given adequate resources to ensure these hotlines are consistently available and provide a high-quality level of intervention.

One of the basic things we can do as a nation is not treat suicide and mental health issues as taboo concerns. Talking about suicide is essential so that no other person has to experience that same pain and grief as the communities of people who have taken their own lives.

This is an issue that is not going away. According to the World Health Organization, by 2020, there will be more than 1.5 million suicides. Local statistics suggest the problem is on the rise among our teenagers.

We must do what we can to prevent the tragic and devastating loss of life. No one should be robbed of their bright future.