Inside 'mental health bank' helping children in 'crisis'
Warning - this article has references to suicide and self-harm from the start.
Sebastian calmly recalls the time he considered taking his own life.
"I felt very sad and depressed, like I wasn't supposed to be alive," he told Sky News.
"I kept hurting myself, like punching a brick wall as hard as I could. And one day I got a sudden idea that I wanted to cut myself because I didn't want to exist."
Sebastian is just 11 years old - a schoolboy, dressed in a white shirt, school tie and blazer.
He is sitting next to his mum, Monica, in a counselling room where he has been receiving treatment for the past few months.
His descent into this dark world was caused by playground bullies who he says nearly drove him to the edge.
"The bullies were really bad to me, kicking me, making me bleed. It hurt a lot. And it was happening for a long time," he said.
Monica said she was desperate to help her son.
"I felt very bad because the most important thing in my life is to keep my child happy. And when I saw that he wasn't happy, I cried. It was so painful my heart broke."
She took her son to the family doctor and explained how serious things were and that her son had been self-harming and was having suicidal thoughts.
Community centre referral
But the doctor did not refer the family to the NHS's children and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS).
They were referred to a community centre in the middle of a housing estate near where they live in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
It is a single-storey building that looks unremarkable from the outside. But the people who run this place say remarkable things happen beyond the front door.
Inside the Jade Youth and Community Centre there is a pool table, a gaming area and some tables and chairs.
The colourful walls are adorned with photos of days out hiking and climbing in the Peak District. But it is more than a youth club.
Children who struggle in mainstream school can receive an education here. Those who have behavioural issues can get additional support.
'Young people cannot wait for treatment'
And over the last few years, a growing number of children have turned up here with serious mental health issues. Many of them are stuck on long waiting lists to be seen by the CAMHS service.
"A lot of our young people cannot wait for treatment. They are presenting in a crisis and they need support right away," said Jade Centre manager Lisa Williams.
"It's difficult to get support for young people and that's why we have had to plug the gap."
So the charity hired a trained counsellor to help young people work through their mental health struggles.
And now they are getting referrals from GPs who would normally have sent children into the CAMHS system.
"We take referrals from social workers, health workers, GPs. It's not unusual. It's become very normal," Ms Williams said.
The Jade Centre compares the service it offers to that of food banks.
Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
Where food banks provide aid to people in acute need, often after a referral by a health professional, the Jade Centre says it offers a service to those in need of mental health support.
Both welfare and health systems are struggling to meet demand and charities like the Jade Centre have had to step in.
"It's very normal that we have food banks because people can't afford to eat," Lisa said.
"There's a cost of living crisis and a lot of people have to go to a food bank. It's becoming the same for mental health."
'A broken system'
Counsellor Nicki Evans says her role is a sign that the wider system is "broken".
"We have parents coming to us who don't know where to go. CAMHS waiting lists can be two to three years.
"At that point, mental issues have become massively entrenched. They've become such a big problem," she said.
The NHS is treating record numbers of young people for their mental health.
Just under half a million in England alone are currently on mental health waiting lists, which are 85% higher than before the pandemic.
Sebastian was seen by Nicki within a week of being referred and is said to be doing well.
But the service receives no funding from the NHS for this work. They rely solely on charitable donations.
'Unsustainable' for NHS to rely on charity
Chief executive of the Jade Centre, Sam Oldroyd, says this is unsustainable if it is to continue to relieve pressure on the NHS.
"A lot of the counselling we deliver is funded by us. It really needs proper funding put on the table. It is really important that in the long term, these services are sustained," he said.
But psychiatrists warn that community counselling services must not be used as a "replacement for professional care" amid longer waiting times for CAMHS.
Dr Elaine Lockhart, chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Child and Adolescent Faculty, said: "The current mental health crisis is having a significant impact on children and young people across the country.
Read more:
People with suspected autism are doing their own research due to waiting lists
Mental health patients 'raped and sexually assaulted' in NHS care
"Far too many are having to wait weeks or even months for treatment while their illness becomes more severe and difficult to care for.
"When a GP refers a young person to another service, such as to a counselling service, it is important they are confident that the service is appropriate to meet their patient's needs and connects with the rest of the mental health system.
"These services must not be seen as a replacement for professional care."
'More funding and staff needed'
The Royal College says the long-term solution is to train more mental health professionals and properly fund services.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We are determined to support children and young people with their mental health, which is why we are investing an additional £2.3bn a year into NHS mental health services. This will enable 345,000 more children and young people to access NHS-funded support."
But it is not enough, according to Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health.
"We definitely under-invest in children's mental health services for children with mental illnesses, however mild or severe those mental illnesses are. There is zero doubt on that," he said.
"The earlier you intervene or preferably prevent, the better. And that has a lifelong life course impact.
"So there are windows of opportunity that are really, really important not to miss. We know we are missing."
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
