This year, Children’s Mental Health Week is more important than ever. The pandemic has meant that the flow of normality for many children has often been disrupted, with schools closing, social events limited and less time spent outdoors. They may have also experienced someone close to them becoming seriously ill or dying.
A report by the State of the Nation* focuses on the effect of these factors and discusses the likelihood of the following mental health conditions:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Grief
- Bereavement
- Stress
- Trauma
Statistics
They found that:
- Half of the assessed primary age children had regular contact with friends between April and August 2020
- 1 in 15 children had low happiness with their health
- 45% of the surveyed parents of primary school aged children reported that their children were worried about friends/family catching COVID-19
- The surveyed parents of primary school aged children reported more difficulties with emotion, behaviour, and restlessness/attention compared to surveyed parents of secondary school pupils
However, they also discovered that:
- More than 25% surveyed said family relationships had improved
- Most children and young people up to age 17 remain happy with their relationships with friends
- In most cases, children and young people continued to learn to some extent through home schooling from parents and remote education
Express Yourself
This year, the theme of Children’s Mental Health Week is on ‘Express Yourself’, encouraging children to explore the different ways of expressing themselves. It is about finding a way to show who you are, and how you see the world, that can help you feel good about yourself.
Here is a link to the fundraiser website:
- https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/
Guidance
If your child is struggling and would like further support, The Eaves has a variety of trained Counsellors, Psychologists and Psychotherapists in Guildford, Godalming and Farnham. Our professionals see individuals of all ages, families, couples and young people 12 hours a day, Monday to Saturday between 9am and 9pm. Please call 01483 917000.
More advice for parents can be found on these websites:
- https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/looking-after-yourself/coronavirus-and-mental-health/
- https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/cypmhs-information-for-parents-and-carers/
The State of Nation report:
- *https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/925329/State_of_the_nation_2020_children_and_young_people_s_wellbeing.pdf