Children raise concerns about impact of school return on mental health
Fiona Simpson
Thursday, August 27, 2020
Returning to school could have a negative impact on young people’s mental health without significant investment in support services, pupils have warned.
Almost half (46 per cent) of 11- to 18-year-olds are concerned about the impact of returning to education on their mental health, new research by Time to Change, run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, has found.
A separate survey by YMCA England and Wales found that 54 per cent of respondents, aged 11 to 16, were concerned about falling behind in school after months of closures.
The figure rises among age groups entering exam years with three-quarters (75 per cent) of 15-year-olds and 61 per cent of 16-year-olds saying they were concerned about falling behind.
“Beyond exam performance, young people are worried about their futures with two-fifths concerned about getting a job and a quarter stating that the pandemic has affected their decisions on what to do once school has finished,” the report states.
The survey also found that almost three-quarters of all respondents feel more stressed than before lockdown and 77 per cent report feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Overall, the YMCA found that 57 per cent of respondents stated their mental health has worsened and 43 per cent are worried about their wellbeing as they come out of the lockdown.
The organisation is calling on the government for more investment in youth work and mental health support for young people.
“Young people find themselves desperately in need of access to safe spaces, positive mentors, mediation and mental health support – the fundamentals of good youth services. However, these services have suffered devastating cuts of 70 per cent since 2010/11,” the report states.
Denise Hatton, chief executive of YMCA England & Wales, said: “Youth services offer a vital lifeline within communities and provide young people with support, advice and a place to go when they need it most.
“A generation which was already at a disadvantage have been dealt a further blow by Covid-19 and face deep uncertainty about what is next for them in its wake. What is essential to support young people through the easing of lockdown and beyond are safe spaces like youth services. They can be utilised to carefully and positively build young people’s confidence, provide much needed support and guidance, and ultimately help them to get back on track.”
Earlier this week, 250 psychiatrists wrote to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson calling for truancy fines to be dropped amid a spike in coronavirus-related mental health problems in young people.
The letter, organised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, warns that although many families will be relieved that pupils are returning to school, for others "it could be a significant source of anxiety".
"As child and adolescent psychiatrists, we have seen the devastating impact the Covid-19 crisis has had on the mental health of many young people," says the letter.
"The threat of fines could force parents of children who feel anxious to send them back to school even if they're not ready.
"This could have serious consequences on their mental health, especially if they are worried about family shielding,” it adds.
Meanwhile, a new report by the Centre for Mental Health and Children in Need warns that children living in remote areas face isolation and struggle to get help for their mental health because of poor transport, a lack of safe spaces to meet in and poor digital connectivity.
The space between us states that “rural areas are often poorly served by specialist mental health services, and years of austerity have eroded local services, such as early years and youth work, that help to boost children’s wellbeing and prevent later crises”.
Andy Bell, chief executive at the Centre for Mental Health, said: “Children in remote rural and coastal communities have been overlooked for too long. While rural life can be good for mental health, children growing up in poverty, with disability or in a marginalised or oppressed community face a high risk of poor mental health with little support close to home. Without access to public transport or digital connection, children face prolonged isolation, exclusion and insecurity.
“We need to take action now to ensure no child’s mental health is put at risk because of where they live. This means investing in rural and coastal areas, from parks, schools and community centres to mental health services, and reaching out especially to children facing the biggest disadvantages in life.”
Later this month, Time to Change Illness, will launch a new programme working with education providers to help students and their parents learn more about mental health.
Participating schools and colleges will be provided with lesson plans, expert guidance, conversation starters and films to help them deliver sessions that open up the conversation about mental health in a bid to encourage students to be aware of their own wellbeing as well as supportive of classmates who might be struggling.
