Is youth mental health getting better or worse?

A recent study found that there was a 65% increase in mental health admissions for young people being admitted to general acute medical wards in England over the last decade. Increases in admissions were greatest among girls aged 11-15 (112.8% increase).

Further, around 3.8 million people were in contact with NHS mental health services last year, up almost two fifths compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Increasing poverty and money worries
4.3 million children are living poverty. That's three in 10 children. This goes up to nearly half in children from low-income backgrounds. With the cost of living crisis pushing more UK families into poverty, this figure is set to increase. Children with a probable mental disorder are more likely to live in a home experiencing financial difficulty than those without.

The pros and cons of social media
Social media offers young people the opportunity to express themselves and connect with others. More than half of all young people say online life has a positive impact on their relationships with friends. But it can also be a space that invites comparison. Young people are still developing their sense of identity and self-worth and are particularly vulnerable to pressures to look or live a certain way. Some young people also experience cyberbullying, with those with a probable mental disorder being twice as likely to report being bullied online.

The pandemic
Covid-19 had a lasting impact on young people’s wellbeing. 42% of children tell us they worry about mental health now. This is up from 29% before the pandemic happened. Over a third of parents of under-fives think their children’s long-term mental wellbeing will be affected.

School pressure
The demands of school life can affect young peoples’ mental health. Children with a probable mental disorder miss more school than those who don’t.

Young people know more about mental health these days and are aware that their mental wellbeing can affect their lives more broadly. A recent study by Action for Children reported that children listed mental health as one of their top five concerns.

Parents, grandparents and guardians are worried about their young peoples’ wellbeing, too. 57% of parents and 64% of grandparents think childhoods are worse today than previous generations. This isn’t right - quality of life should be getting better with every generation, not worse.

Early intervention can make a huge difference when it comes to mental health. But in a recent YoungMinds survey, three-quarters of parents said that their child's mental health had deteriorated while waiting for support from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

And while more than half of 16–25-year-olds have seen their GP about their mental health at some point, many aren’t seeking the help they need. Some young people don’t feel that their problem is ‘bad enough’. Others would prefer not to go through their GP to get support on mental health issues.

Action for Children services help young people to feel heard, and give them tools to build the resilience they need to face life’s challenges. In the year 2023/2024 we supported 54,878 young people with their mental and emotional wellbeing.

We also have a growing number of local mental health services across the UK – and we won’t stop until all young people have the support they need to thrive. With your help, we could increase our services even further and reach more young people.