#HearMeSpeak

Hear Me Speak is a UK-based campaign founded by mental health and anti-racism activist António Ferreira, and supported by youth mental health charity Beyond, that seeks to strengthen legislation, guidance and training around policing within a mental health crisis.

The campaign’s vision is to contribute to systemic and longer-term change by instigating adequate training and support so that the police feel better equipped to deal with mental health crises accurately and sensitively.

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Statistics

The Metropolitan Police Service receives a call about a mental health concern every four minutes. They send an officer to respond to a mental health-related call every twelve minutes.

– Policing and Mental Health

There has been a continuous rise in mental health problems in children and young people in recent years. In 2022, one in six children aged 7 to 16 had a mental health problem, an increase from one in nine in 2017.

– Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2022, Wave 3 Follow up to the 2017 Survey, NDRS

The number of people detained by the police under Sec 136 of the Mental Health Act has been increasing in recent years.

– Police Powers and Procedures