With a year-on-year increase reported in children’s mental health cases reported why are these numbers increasing so rapidly? From 2017 – 2020, 1 in 9 children aged 5 – 16 years reported with mental health issues rising to 1 in 6 by 2023 and 1 in 5 by 2024 and this is only expected to increase in 2025. Understanding the reasons behind this increase is vital for creating effective solutions to support children’s wellbeing.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Although, becoming a distant memory this is still one of the most significant factors contributing to the rise in children’s mental health.
The sudden disruption of daily life, including school closures, social isolation, and fears about health and safety, created an unprecedented level of pandemic stress. Many children struggled with adapting to remote learning challenges, losing critical social interactions that are essential for their development and emotional well being. Additionally, the pandemic exposed many families to economic hardships, adding to the stress within households.
Increased Screen Time and Digital Dependency
Children’s screen time has risen dramatically over the past five years, creating growing concerns about digital dependency. While technology offers unparalleled access to learning tools and social connection, excessive screen time can have significant drawbacks.
Research has highlighted several adverse effects, including:
- Sleep Disturbances: Blue light from screens interferes with sleep cycles, leading to poor-quality rest.
- Reduced Physical Activity: Time spent on devices often replaces essential physical activities, contributing to sedentary lifestyles.
- Exposure to Cyberbullying: Social media platforms increase the risk of encountering online harassment. Covered in this blog about the TikTok.
Social media, plays a pivotal role in shaping mental health. Adolescents are especially vulnerable to the unrealistic expectations shared on social platforms, which can amplify feelings of inadequacy and impact self-esteem leading to a downturn in their mental health.
High expectations in education
Academic pressure has intensified with children facing higher expectations to excel in school. As such, an environment has been created involving more testing and competition to high achieve, leading to a rise in anxiety, depression, and burnout, even among the youngest students.
Societal Challenges and Global Events
Issues such as climate change, political unrest, and economic uncertainty are very relevant current concerns, with children acutely aware of these problems, their direct impact and concerns for the future, This awareness is primarily down to the greater access available to them through digital and social problems.
The impact of societal challenges comes from family instability and community violence. Factors such as rising divorce rates and strained family situations can lead to children feeling that their safety and stability in life is being threatened.
When it comes to global events affecting children’s mental health, climate anxiety, political instability and economic challenges are the key factors. The constant exposure to climate change discussions at school and from social platforms can leave children, and particularly adolescents with a sense of fear and helplessness. The same applies to political instability, whereas economic challenges derived from family financial struggles can leave them feeling anxious and worried for their future.
Awareness and Diagnosis
The rise in reported mental health issues can be attributed to the improved awareness and diagnosis. The efforts to destigmatise mental health have encouraged more parents and caregivers to seek help for their children, which in turn has led to a rise in the reported numbers and therefore a rise in statistics of children presenting with mental health issues.
Advances in diagnostic tools and increased mental health training for teachers and healthcare providers have also contributed to identifying previously overlooked issues. So, whilst a better system for identify mental health issues in children is a positive step, it naturally leads to more help being sought
What can be done?
To counter the effects of continuing rise in children’s mental health, parents, educators, and communities must work together to:
- Provide mental health support through open communication and counseling.
- Create safe spaces for children to express their concerns and emotions.
- Advocate for systemic changes that address underlying societal issues.
Other factors that may be contributing to the increase in mental health issues are changes in drug and alcohol use, increases in sedentary behavior and obesity, and stigma.
Our charity campaign, ‘Someone to Talk To.’offers free one-on-one therapy sessions to support children who may be struggling with their mental health.
References
https://www.place2be.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/children-and-young-people-s-mental-health-statistics/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8x4ny52vxo
https://www.place2be.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/children-and-young-people-s-mental-health-statistics/#key-stats
https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/well-being/mental-health-statistics
https://cypmhc.org.uk/resources/facts-and-figures/
