young people (15–19 years) during the years 2012 to 2016. Its findings included: • one in four young people met the criteria for a serious mental illness, increasing from 18.7% in 2012 to 22.8% in 2016 • females were twice as likely to meet this criteria than males • the likelihood of probable serious mental illness was found to be consistently higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people compared to their non-Indigenous peers • the key issues were depression, stress, body image and school issues • the main sources of help reported were friends, parents and the internet.204 237. While limited in their geographic reach, there are now over 100 Headspace centres across Australia, providing early intervention mental health services to 12–25 year olds. Headspace has also recently established eHeadspace, an online and telephone service to support children and their families.205 238. Notwithstanding this, the National Mental Health Commission indicated in its submission to the NCC that there is a shortage of mental health services in Australia ‘which can result in children and young people presenting later, or at a more advanced stage of ill-health’.206 It also suggested that mental health services tend to be more ‘adult’ focused, which can make them less accessible to children.207 239. The Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan (the Fifth Plan) and its Implementation Plan were endorsed by COAG Health Council in August 2017. It is critical that the fifth Plan specifically prioritise the needs of children.208 Recommendation 31: The Australian Government expands and funds the delivery of child targeted mental health and other necessary support services. 7.4 Child poverty 240. Approximately 17% of children under the age of 15 live in poverty in Australia.209 However, Australia currently lacks a national poverty reduction plan and has yet to agree to a national definition of poverty.210 41