Representation for children

Over one third of our community are under eighteen years of age, but do not have the right to vote. No , I am not about to advocate that two year olds get to vote. This one third has many of the same mental health problems as adults, plus a range of childhood specific ones. They often do not have the maturity to cope with mental health issues as an adult can. They certainly do not have the access to help that adults have. They are not aware they have problems and often see illness as shameful, scary and blameworthy. I can only report one person under eighteen years of age who made an appointment  and asked for help all by themselves in over thirty years of work with young people. Most children resist treatment, just as they have elementary fears about seeing a doctor, have been threatened for a long time that if they don't behave they will be taken to see the doctor. Most children then enter the doctor's office very bravely facing their punishment. Luckily many parents prepare their children well to cope.
Children, like us all, are affected by family conflict, illness, financial problems, marital conflict,domestic violence. Most adults have good coping mechanisms to deal with these issues and if needed can leave or find a safe place. Children do not have these skills, capacity or rights,so they are very much in the victim position in these problems.
Children have to cope with academics, social skills and the competitiveness of school life as well. Bullying and conflict here often reflect home based problems. The school community can also have its own problems as teachers, administration, parent bodies, government inputs and organisational issues all intermingle with the child's mind.  Children who move schools or home school have added issues.
So this is a plea to understand that our most vulnerable citizens, with the least capacity to deal with problems, often have more issues to deal with than adults. Yet, they have no say and little access to help without parental approval. As they don't vote, they have no say and can be forgotten as we all try to deal with the everyday problems in life.