Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2020

Since the onset of the Coronavirus(COVID-19) pandemic in the UK in March 2020, children and young people have experienced major changes in their lives. These have affected their family situation as well as their access to education, leisure and other services.

This NHS Digital report looks at the mental health of children and young people in England in July 2020, and changes since 2017. It reveals that the proportion of children who experiencing mental health difficulties has increased over the past three years, from one in nine in 2017, to one in six as of July 2020. The increase was evident in both boys and girls.

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      string(256) "Around one in five children and young people in the UK experience emotional and behavioural problems according to the first findings from a survey of over 30,000 young people (aged 11 to 14), according to this report by HeadStart.
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      string(4790) "Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN YOUNGPEOPLE, AGED 11 TO 14KeywordsMental health,young people,emotional,behaviouralproblems,pupils, specialeducationalneeds,economicallyadvantaged,ethnic groupsSummaryAround one in five children and young people in the UK experience emotional and behaviouralproblems according to the first findings from a survey of over 30,000 young people (aged 11 to14), according to this report by HeadStart.It found that: ■ Pupils in Year 9 are more likely to report mental health problems than those in Year 7. ■ Girls are more likely to say they had experienced emotional problems (with 25% of girls sayingthey had a problem compared to 11% of boys) but in contrast, boys are more likely to say theyhave experienced behavioural problems (with 23% of boys saying they had experienced themcompared with 15% of girls). ■ Pupils from Asian, Black, Mixed, and other ethnic groups were less likely to indicate they wereexperiencing emotional problems than young people in the White ethnic group. ■ Pupils with special educational needs, those eligible for free school meals, and those classifiedas children in need were also more likely to say they were experiencing both emotional andbehavioural problems.The report concludes that there is a consistent association between deprivation and mental healthproblems, however, the schools involved in HeadStart are typically located in less socially andeconomically advantaged areas of the UK and differ from the national average in terms of proportionswith special educational needs and proportions of white pupils, so all results must be understood inthis context.Key Findings: ■ The schools involved in HeadStart are located in less socially and economically advantaged areasthan typical schools nationally. They also differ from national averages in terms of proportionswith special educational needs and proportions of white pupils, so all results must be understoodin this context. ■ 18.4% indicated they were experiencing emotional problems, and this was more common for girls(24.9%) than boys (10.9%) ■ 18.8% indicated they were exhibiting behavioural problems, and this was more common for boys(23.1%) than girls (15.1%) ■ The odds of experiencing mental health problems (whether emotional or behavioural) wereWeek Commencing 19th March 2018https://www.ucl.ac.uk/evidence-based-practice-unit/sites/evidence-based-practice-unit/files/headstart_briefing_1_pdf.pdfhttps://www.ucl.ac.uk/evidence-based-practice-unit/sites/evidence-based-practice-unit/files/headstart_briefing_1_pdf.pdfLeadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.significantly and consistently increased for children who: ■ were eligible for free school meals ■ had special educational needs ■ were categorised as a ‘child in need’. ■ The odds of experiencing a mental health problem were greater for older children than youngerchildren. ■ In many instances, being of an ethnic group other than White reduced the odds of experiencing amental health problem. Specifically, being Asian, Black, mixed or ‘any other ethnic group’ reducedthe odds of experiencing emotional difficulties. Being Asian, Chinese or ‘any other ethnic group’reduced the odds of experiencing behavioural difficulties.Recommendations: ■ High rates of mental health problems in this population highlight the importance of finding the bestmeans to promote positive wellbeing, and to prevent and address mental health problems. ■ Tackling mental health problems may involve tackling social inequalities due to the consistentassociation between deprivation and mental health problems which was evident in the results ofthis survey. ■ It should not be assumed that young people from minority ethnic groups are at greater risk ofmental health problems; this is not the case based on current evidence. In addition, thosefrom different minority ethnic backgrounds should not be grouped together in analysis of theprevalence of mental health.WEB LINKMental Health Problems In Young People, Aged 11 To 14https://www.ucl.ac.uk/evidence-based-practice-unit/sites/evidence-based-practice-unit/files/headstart_briefing_1_pdf.pdf"
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Leadership

Mental Health Problems In Young People, Aged 11 To 14

15 Mar 2018

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When asked who they would talk to if they felt sad or anxious 38%said teachers, 71% said family members, 63% said friends.■ The polling results also show that children like to speak to a range of people when they are feelingtroubled and call into question the Government’s Mental Health Green Paper proposal to trainjust one senior lead in each school about mental health.■ Problems at home were a concern for 22% of 12-year-olds, whereas they were an issue for 52%of 16-year-olds.■ Bullying was less of an issue for 16-year-olds than for 12-year-olds (23% compared to 30%) butconcerns about weight more than doubled – with 20% of 12-year-olds saying it had made themsad or anxious, but 41% of 16-year-olds.Week Commencing 12th February 2018http://sentpressrelease.com/pressrelease/attachment/38193/a07b71e7-0dda-446e-8352-259d49d54b56/c351bfa3-7cad-4906-9407-d4cffa695975?fileDisplayName=Results%20for%20Barnardohttp://sentpressrelease.com/pressrelease/attachment/38193/a07b71e7-0dda-446e-8352-259d49d54b56/c351bfa3-7cad-4906-9407-d4cffa695975?fileDisplayName=Results%20for%20BarnardoLeadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.■ The polling showed there were also some interesting differences in the concerns of childrendepending on where they live.■ While, as a whole, 26% of 12 to 16-year-olds in Britain said bullying had made them feel sad oranxious, it was a worry for 31% of the people polled in the East, 26% in the North/ Scotland, 27%in the Midlands/ Wales and 29% in the South but only 14% in London.■ Problems at home were a bigger concern for children in the East than anywhere else (for 37% ofthe children in that region), compared to 32% in Scotland/ The North, 35% in London, 30% in theSouth and 29% in the Midlands/ Wales. As a whole the figure was 32%.■ Stress at school was more prevalent in London than anywhere else in the country, at 77% whilethe national average was 65%. In the East it was a worry for 69% of children, 65% of children inthe North/ Scotland, 55% in the Midlands/ Wales and 65% in the South.■ Children in the Midlands/ Wales region were more concerned about their weight than any of theother regions, with 30% saying it was a concern (the national average was 26%). In London andthe South 28% of children were concerned about it, while the figure was 24% in East and 20% inNorth/ Scotland.■ The East region also had more children worried about their future, at 56% compared to thenational average of 42%. Children in Midlands/ Wales were least concerned about their future(39%), in North/ Scotland and South the figure was 40% and in London it was 47%.■ The survey also found how children cope with social media differs widely according to region.Across Britain 10% of children had said worries about getting enough ‘likes’ or responses onsocial media – but in the East this figure was higher at 14% and 12% in London. It was lower inthe South, at 8%, and the same in the North/ Scotland. In Midlands/ Wales it was 10%.■ How children reacted to what they saw on social media also varied widely, according to region.Worries about what they had seen on social media had made 14% of 12-16 year olds in Britainfeel sad or anxious. While the number of Midlands/ Wales children who were concerned wasjust 10% but 21% in the South. In London the figure was 11%, in the East it was 13% and in theNorth/ Scotland it was 15%.WEB LINKMental Health Statistics: Children And Young Peoplehttp://sentpressrelease.com/pressrelease/attachment/38193/a07b71e7-0dda-446e-8352-259d49d54b56/c351bfa3-7cad-4906-9407-d4cffa695975?fileDisplayName=Results%20for%20Barnardo"
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Leadership

Mental Health Statistics: Children And Young People

8 Feb 2018

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      string(877) "working arrangements, to review what works well/less well; to appraise the quality and appropriateness of referrals under the new workingarrangements and to make adjustments as necessary11. Access to further training and bespoke guidance or support for schools, as identified throughself-evaluation, via a menu of support from cypmhs12. Quarterly or biannual mental health forums or network meetings, to ensure that all schoolsand other cypmhs providers, including nhs cypmhs, educational psychologists, schoolnurses, counselling services and vcsos, have an opportunity to network and to regularlyreview and update working arrangements.WEB LINKMental Health Services And Schools Link Pilots: Evaluation Reporthttps://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/590242/Evaluation_of_the_MH_services_and_schools_link_pilots-RR.pdf"
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Leadership

Mental Health Services And Schools Link Pilots: Evaluation Report

17 Mar 2017

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Leadership Briefing 10.04(112)"
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      string(1602) "pro-social behaviour. ■ The relationship between age and mental health and wellbeing is not straightforward. Emotionaland behavioural problems appeared to increase, while mental health and wellbeing decreased,as pupils moved further into adolescence. Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents. ■ Overall, poor mental health and wellbeing is more prevalent among S4 than S2 pupils.However, age did not come out as a significant factor in the modelling of the overall SDQscore. Age, by itself, is not a key driver of mental health and wellbeing. Instead, it reflectsthe prevalence of other drivers changing as pupils get older. Most notably, S4 pupils aremore likely than S2 pupils to feel pressurised by schoolwork and to not like school. ■ Poorer physical health is associated with lower mental health and wellbeing. Pupils whoreported that they had a limiting illness or disability tended to suffer from poorer mentalhealth and wellbeing. ■ Pupils who had a mixed or multiple ethnicity were more likely to suffer from poor mentalhealth and wellbeing than those from other ethnicities. ■ There was no clear pattern in mental health and wellbeing by urban/rural classification.WEB LINKMental Health And Wellbeing Among Adolescents In Scotland: Profile And Trendshttp://www.gov.scot/Resource/0048/00488358.pdf"
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Leadership

Mental Health And Wellbeing Among Adolescents In Scotland: Profile And Trends

4 Nov 2015