Kids Helpline’s Tony Fitzgerald says young Victorians have been experiencing a “whole gamut” of mental health issues while in lockdown.
The organisation recorded a 184 per cent increase in youth suicide attempts in Victoria from December 2020 to May 2021 compared to one year earlier.
Mr Fitzgerald said reasons for the surge include “the impact of isolation, the impact of lockdowns” and the “increased stress” of young people not being at school.
He said, consequently, there has been an increase in young people trying to access “community-based mental health services”.
“The increase in demand on those services has meant that they haven’t necessarily been able to access them as quickly as possible,” Mr Fitzgerald told Sky News.
He said due to the fourth lockdown Kids Helpline is seeing an “accumulation of mental health concerns", particularly for young people who “have ongoing mental health concerns".
“We’re certainly seeing them come to us for that immediate crisis support.”
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
