The Guardian | Observer design
The benefits of early intervention apply across age groups, but they may be especially important for adolescents, a fact that the World Health Organization recently emphasised in its guidance to improve access to mental healthcare for young people. “With one-third of mental health conditions emerging before the age of 14 and half before the age of 18, early action is essential to enable children and young people to thrive and realise their full potential,” it said. The challenge, however, is finding the appropriate means to deliver the support – and that may be easier said than done.