Child mental health in England has reached “unprecedented levels,” as recent figures show that one in six people has likely suffered from a mental disorder in the past year.
Health officials have said urgent action is needed to strengthen the workforce and expand services to prevent children from reaching a “hotspot”.
“These numbers reflect the gap at the heart of our mental health services caused by the decline in staff.”
Stephen Jones
New figures from NHS Digital show that one in six (17%) six to 16 year olds had a likely mental health disorder in both 2020 and 2021. The quota was the same for the 17 to 19 year olds.
This was a significant increase from the last data set from 2017, when one in nine (12%) of six to 16 year olds and one in ten (10%) of 17 to 19 year olds had a probable Mental Disorder.
The report compares the results of the surveys of children and adolescents from 2017, 2020 and 2021.
More than 16,000 completed surveys were included in the analysis; 2,541 children and adolescents took part in all three questionnaires.
For the most recent survey, participants were also asked about their experiences during the coronavirus pandemic and how this affected their mental health.
Overall, the data shows that 39% of children ages six to 16 experienced a deterioration in their mental health between 2017 and 2021, while 21% saw an improvement.
Among 17- to 24-year-olds, 53% experienced a decline in their mental health since 2017 and 15% an improvement.
In both age groups, girls and young women had “more often” experienced deterioration in their mental health than boys and young men.
The number of 11 to 16 year olds with “possible eating problems” rose from 7% in 2017 to 13% in 2021.
The rates were higher among the older age groups, with the proportion of 17-19 year olds with a possible eating problem increasing from 45% in 2017 to 58% in 2021.
For 2021, the survey also included sleep problems, loneliness, and family life.
“The mental illness of many of our children and adolescents is now at an unprecedented level”
Sean Duggan
The results showed that more than a quarter (29%) of six to ten year olds, more than a third (38%) of 11 to 16 year olds and more than half (57%) of 17 to 23 year olds were affected by sleep problems.
Data across all age groups suggested that people with a likely mental health disorder were “much higher” than those without sleep problems.
In addition, 5% of 11 to 16 year olds and 13% of 17 to 22 year olds said they “often” or “always” feel lonely.
Again, the rates were higher in girls and young women than in boys and young men and in people with a likely mental disorder.
Children and adolescents were also asked about family ties and functionality, including whether they could confide in their family or discuss fears or worries.
The data showed that in 2021, 16% of six- to 16-year-olds were living with a family with reported functional problems.
The results showed that children with a likely mental disorder were more likely to live in households that were behind with bills, rent or mortgage payments during the pandemic, compared to those who did not.
The survey also looked at the impact of the restrictions caused by the pandemic and its impact on school education.
Stephen Jones
In 2021, 13% of 11 to 16 year olds and 24% of 17 to 23 year olds said their life had gotten “much worse” due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
Meanwhile, only 4% of 11-16 year olds and 2% of 17-23 year olds said restrictions made their lives “much better”.
Children and adolescents with a probable mental disorder were about twice as likely to report that limitations made their lives significantly worse than those who were unlikely to have any mental disorder.
In terms of school absence, children with a probable mental disorder were more likely to miss 15 days of school in the fall semester of 2020 (18%) compared to children with an unlikely mental disorder (9%).
Overall, children with a probable mental disorder had less access to learning resources than children with an unlikely mental disorder.
Only 68% of children with a likely mental disorder said they received regular support from their school or college, compared with 84% of children who are unlikely to have a mental disorder.
Worryingly, parents of 46% of six to 16 year olds with special educational needs and disabilities reported that their child received less support due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Stephen Jones, the professional mental health director for the Royal College of Nursing, warned the new numbers reflect ongoing challenges faced by the workforce.
“The pandemic has taken a terrible toll on the nation’s mental health, affecting both children and adults badly,” he said.
“These numbers reflect the gap at the heart of our mental health services caused by the decline in staff.”
Mr. Jones highlighted the important role school nurses play in “early support for children in school” and noted that this “can go a long way” in reducing long-term problems.
However, he pointed out that between 2017 and 2021 “the number of school nurses decreased by 18%”.
Sean Duggan
“More investment in basic services is needed to ensure children and teenagers don’t get into crisis in the first place,” added Mr. Jones.
Meanwhile, Sean Duggan, executive director of the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network, said, “The mental health of many of our children and adolescents is now at unprecedented levels and urgently needs to be addressed, as these latest survey results show.
“The harsh reality of unmet needs means that too many children and adolescents reach a crisis point before they can get the much-needed support.”
He added, “Although hard work is being done to find innovative ways to meet the significantly increased demand, mental health services are creaking under this tremendous burden, made much worse by the pandemic.
“Treatment gaps and waiting times for access lead to poorer outcomes for children and adolescents, and the consequences mean a much higher risk of serious psychological problems into adulthood.”
Mr Duggan, a psychiatrist with a background, stressed that improving early intervention through youth centers, school support and digital services, for example, “will increase capacity and provide children and young people with more comprehensive care before they are in crisis”.
He urged the government to use its upcoming spending review to “show its commitment to supporting the mental health of our children and adolescents.”
A government spokesman said: “We are determined to expand and transform mental health services in England. That’s why we’re committed to investing an additional £ 2.3 billion per year through 2023/24, which means an additional 345,000 children and youth will be available annually to access NHS-funded services and improve support in schools .
“To counter the effects of the pandemic, as part of our Mental Health Restoration Action Plan, we have allocated an additional £ 79 million to accelerate the expansion of child and adolescent mental health services this year, including community and eating disorders services.
source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/10/01/spike-in-childrens-mental-health-disorders-reflects-gaping-workforce-chasm/
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