With no sense of community, a troubled generation of youth has emerged with its idols/heroes of "celebrity", "fame" or "fortune". This is an instant society which expects on demand or by right and has no value in giving or contributing because it has been constantly told "because you are worth it".

Educated in a system which did not encourage competitive sport and that, regardless of educational ability, as a member you were guaranteed a certificate, there is an emerging generation unable to cope with average achievement, mediocrity or, heavens forbid, even failure.

We live in a society that has an ever increasing problem of drugs and alcohol-related issues, with many of our young of today ill-prepared for the realities of life. Alcohol is the biggest health problem, and people still do not appreciate that alcohol can seriously damage mental health and causes mental illness - not just as an addiction. For, like drugs, alcohol can cause depression and psychosis - and both can be long term.

The Mental Welfare Commission's report on the lack of beds for young people highlights an urgent need to provide more beds. Young people need very specialist care and support in psychiatry - the sooner that care is in place, the better is the chance of recovery. Add to these issues the difficulties and challenges of being young today and the increase of conditions such as anorexia and other eating disorders among boys as well as girls and the need for this specialised care is clear to see.

Early interventions such as the Esteem programme in Glasgow are vital - but if we are unable to provide sufficient adolescent inpatient care and can only offer ad hoc adult inpatient beds to these very troubled young we may, in the long term, be doing more harm than good.
Jean Johnston, Helensburgh.

Your article (October 7) on the provision of "stand-ins" during staff absences highlights yet again the different levels of resources available to the mainstream schools compared with day centres for adults with learning difficulties. In the latter it is not a matter of a day or so before reserves are found, it is 10 weeks before the managers of the centres are allowed to notify the local authority of the need for a gap to be plugged. The idea of a "bank" of qualified social workers from which immediate help can be drawn is laughed out of court when proposed by carers.

When a day centre staff member is absent for any reason - sickness, training, holidays etc - his or her clients are often steered into drop-in areas and left to fend for themselves. The word "Dickensian" comes to mind but, not to worry, because the "powers-that-be" are doing their very best given the level of resources available. What a pity the day centre service is not seen as being as important as Scotland's bankers: money might be thrown at it then.
Stephanie Hunter, Bridge of Weir.