We take turns to sleep so we can keep our son safe
- Published
Kyle says he wants to speak out because it has been so difficult to get help
Kyle Solman's parents are taking it in turns to sleep because they are afraid of what he might do if he's left alone.
His mum Kirsty says the 11-year-old has attempted to take his own life four times. Kyle has autism and has been struggling with his mental health.
Kirsty says children like her son get lost in the system, and is calling for better mental health support.
The Scottish government says support is being given to more children than ever before, but more work needs to be done.
Kirsty Solman, 40, and her son are speaking out as the latest waiting times for children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) were published.
The Scottish government target is for 90% of children to be seen within 18 weeks of referral - a target which is consistently missed.
The latest figures, external, for the first three months of this year, showed that 74.2% of children and young people were seen within 18 weeks.
That was an increase from 70.2% in the previous quarter, and 73% in the same three month period in 2022. The figure hit a record low of 60.6% in September 2020.
A record 10,556 children and young people were referred to CAMHS in Scotland in the quarter ending March 2023 - up by 355 on the previous quarter and 555 on the same quarter last year.
Last year, the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland called on the government to outline how it would reach its target of directing 1% of the health budget to CAMHS as part of its post-pandemic NHS recovery plan.
At the time the Scottish government said it had invested £40m to improve CAMHS and aimed to clear waiting lists by March 2023.
Kirsty Solman says children like her son get lost in the system
While Kyle is technically no longer on a waiting list, Kirsty feels he is being passed around departments and has yet to get the care he needs.
She said he had been diagnosed with autism at the age of five, but that they did not get support.
Two years later he was diagnosed with ADHD. Kirsty says he was given medication but did not receive counselling or therapy.
Kirsty said that her son did not receive access to a psychiatrist through CAMHS until after the third time he attempted to take his own life, at the age of 10.
She explained: "We are literally taking it in turns sleeping at night just to make sure Kyle is safe and he is all right.
"The number of young people with difficulties with their mental health is growing but the services are not growing with them.
"That is becoming very obvious when you look at waiting times and the length of time children are having to wait just to get an appointment with CAMHS."
Kirsty says the staff at the school and at CAMHS have been excellent, but there are such huge restraints around support and staffing levels that Kyle cannot get the one-to-one support he needs.
Kyle says he wants to raise awareness of how difficult and isolating it has been for him. His mental health deteriorated at the start of the first Covid lockdown.
He used to be a cyclist who competed in races, and also enjoyed mountain biking and trampolining. But now he just stays in his room.
Kyle says he wants to speak out because it is so difficult for him and others to get help.
"I want more help. I struggled really badly in school," he says.
"Because I have not had help for so long I just backed away.
"I want help to be available for other kids so they can get help."
Kirsty has submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament calling for more resources and support for children struggling with their mental health.
Baby Kyle being held by his dad Scott
She also wants more specialist training for medical staff, and specialist emergency mental health care for children at A&Es.
The family does not think that these calls will help Kyle, because it is such a long, slow process.
"But it could potentially help other children in the future and that is what we are aiming for," says Kirsty.
"The last thing we would ever want is for any family to have to go through what we have went through. It is absolutely soul-destroying.
"Your 10-year-old child lying in a hospital bed hooked up to heart monitors because he has tried to end his life.
"At 10 years old that should not even cross children's minds. They should not be feeling that low that they feel that is the only way out."
Rob Holland from the National Autistic Society Scotland says more support is urgently needed, particularly early intervention to prevent children reaching crisis point.
The Scottish government says its has invested in CAMHS staffing to a current record high of about 1,300 whole time equivalent posts.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: "I fully appreciate the concerns raised by the Solman family and understand the distress caused to children, young people and their families experiencing difficulties with their mental health and getting the right support at the right time.
"Our NHS is providing more varied support and services to a larger number of children than ever before and each health board has arrangements in place to ensure anyone presenting at A&E in mental health crisis is properly assessed and cared for, at any time of day.
"However, more work needs to be done."
The BBC has a duty of care to anyone speaking to us about their life - most especially a child. Kyle's age and the harrowing nature of his experience made the decision to identify him very difficult.
In this case we have chosen to give him the opportunity to raise awareness of his campaign for more support for young people struggling with their mental health because he feels he has hit a brick wall and says he doesn't want anyone else to feel as isolated as he has done.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can visit BBC Action Line.