Many factors are chipping away at children’s declining wellbeing and mental health, but for older children and teenagers, a major stress point is living in poverty and worries about their household finances. Christmas puts families under intense financial pressure, and the cold, wet weather coupled with sky-high energy costs means relief feels far away.
For teenagers and older children, these worries can be made worse by the return to school or college. Academic expectations, the ebb and flow of friendship dynamics, fear of bullying or harassment from peers, can all loom large.
That is why it is timely that this month sees the majority of our 13 “Space to grow” hubs throughout the UK open their doors to offer free early help for eight- to 13-year-olds who are struggling with their emotional health and wellbeing.
Thanks to funding from BBC Children in Need, Space to grow gives children essential tools to improve their wellbeing, build strong relationships, and manage their feelings more effectively.
Two key elements of the programme deserve special attention.
First, we are prioritising the service for underrepresented groups such as children from the global majority, young carers, and LGBTQ+ children who can be at greater risk of low wellbeing, yet their needs are often overlooked.
Second, offering support and education for parents and teachers to create a more understanding environment for children.
In our work on preventing child exploitation, children have told us that they feel race, appearance, class and gender influence whether members of the public will step in to help if they are in a dangerous situation, or, if in fact, whether they will be unfairly judged to be a threat themselves.
This disconnect between children and adults is damaging. Many of the children we asked think adults don’t understand the issues they are facing and, worse, don’t think they want to learn more. They also fear not being taken seriously.
If we truly want to improve children’s wellbeing, then we need to bridge this gap. Adults play a pivotal role and it’s crucial to understand the challenges faced by children.
We’re encouraged by the government’s commitments in the proposed Children’s Wellbeing Bill and the focus on early intervention and community-based support. But policies alone aren’t enough. We must invest time in children’s lives, and show – not just say – that we care. Only then will we be delivering for children and helping to turn the tide on their wellbeing.
