Mum calls for more support in schools after son's suicide

A Liverpool mum - whose teenage son took his own life - says schools need to do more to help children, battling mental health issue

Published 21st Nov 2016

A Liverpool mum - whose teenage son took his own life - says schools need to do more to help children, battling mental health issues

16 year old Oscar Phillips died last January - after he was hit by a train in Ellesmere Port

The Samaritans say that since 2010 Since 2010 just under 10,000 rail staff have received extra training on how to help people with hundreds of potentially life-saving interventions have been reported

Since Oscar's death - his family have set up the Oscar Phillips Foundation in his memory - with the aim of helping young people to open up and talk amongst themselves and their peers about how they are feeling

"Oscar had a lot of really nice qualities about him, he was kind, generous, logical and lovely to have around.What happened couldn't have been seen it was completely out of the blue. The shock was like a tsunami"

"The Foundation is to support children in schools, it's a different life now for children, there's a gap that needs filling. Something needs to be there to support their emotional health. and it's not being met right know, that's why we're seeing so many cases"

Carmel Giansante said "By getting the tools to support themselves, through their emotional well, they'll also support their friends and these tools will be life skills that they will take through forever to future generations, because the world has changed. The numbers need to come down"

For more information on the work of Oscar's family and if you would like to help you can find out more information at