Category: Young People’s Mental Health

Across the UK, more young people are out of education, employment or training. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show this affects 957,000 people aged 16 to 24 — around 12.8% of this age group. Behind each number is a young person navigating uncertainty, pressure and barriers at a key stage of life, often with an impact on their mental health.

Mental Health UK’s position on banning social media for under 16s.

With the cost of living putting pressure on everyday life for many families, the challenges of keeping up with friends on social media, and the economic uncertainty lying ahead in adulthood, 81% of young people say they worry about money or personal finances, with anxiety increasing proportionately as young people move towards financial independence.[1, 2]

In a groundbreaking collaboration with our corporate partner, Ordnance Survey, we’ve developed a cutting-edge interactive map showcasing the transformative impact of our Young People’s programmes across the United Kingdom.

Following a highly successful 6-month pilot, which saw our Me & Money programme delivered to over 1,500 young people across the UK – we’re launching our enhanced programme today. We’re delighted to invite schools, colleges, community groups and organisations to get in touch with us to request this free programme for your young people.

Mental Health UK developed the innovative Me & Money pilot programme in response to the rising concerns young people experienced around money. Against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis, a growing body of research evidenced the complex repercussions financial concerns have on young people – ultimately posing a threat to their wellbeing and mental health if unaddressed.

It’s that time of year again — the sun is out, and school has finished for another academic year. But if you are a parent — whether you work in the office, hybrid, or you from home — the summer holidays might be overwhelming.

Feedback from Mental Health UK’s Me & Money pilot programme, which launched last year, shows that young people are experiencing additional strain on their relationship with their parents/carers because of money in the approach to the school holidays.

One in six children aged 5 to 16 were identified as having a mental health problem in 2021, a significant increase from one in nine in 2017. Never has the need to support young people’s mental health been greater, and we know that early preventative support using upstream approaches like building resilience can have a positive impact.

Our young people’s programmes, Bloom and Your Resilience have always been run with the mindset that young people’s voices and experiences need to be at the forefront in developing and delivering our workshops.

According to YMCA youth every region of England has each seen funding for youth services cut by more than 60% since 2010. These cuts mean there are less and less safe spaces where young people can go to, receive support and come together. Having a safe space is fundamental to the delivery of our Young People’s programmes, especially outside of the school environment. We undertake our supportive programmes in numerous settings and this summer we had the pleasure of delivering Your Resilience to the National Citizen Service (NCS) residential experience camps.

Like many parents, I was looking forward to my children returning to school after the long summer holidays. Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids and love spending time with them. However, for the optimum balance of a happy home environment and my ability to do my job, a return to school was the order of the day. My kids too needed to get back into the daily schedule school brings; the social engagement of seeing all their friends again is a hugely positive thing and obviously they need to learn.

Alongside our popular Bloom and Your Resilience programmes, we have today launched a new innovative pilot programme called Me & Money, which encourages and empowers young people to explore and understand the interconnection between money and mental health.

The cost-of-living crisis has undoubtably had an impact on the majority of us to a greater or lesser extent. Whilst financial concerns have been ever-present throughout the crisis, there has also been an erosive effect on people’s mental health.

Bloom, Mental Health UK’s programme for young people, is now being used by Mental Health Support Teams (MHST) in England.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents hoped the days of remote learning were behind them and their children. However, recent news that over 100 schools have been forced to suddenly close due to safety fears over concrete has forced some pupils in England and Wales to start their school terms online or in temporary facilities.  

UCL Dance Society decided to dedicate their annual ‘Blooms’ performance to explore the theme of mental health in their show aptly named ‘Breathe’. We spoke to Alkistis who explained why, as young adults, mental health is high on the society’s radar, and how the cast used movement to convey emotions and thoughts.

Following an Ofsted inspection in March 2022, Northampton International Academy in England decided to enhance their students’ wellbeing and personal development through Bloom.

The number of young people seeking counselling for exam related anxiety ahead of GCSEs and A-levels reportedly doubled. It is therefore unsurprising that Bloom’s most popular workshop continues to be Exam Stress.

One in six children aged 5 to 16 were identified as having a mental health problem in 2021, a significant increase from one in nine in 2017. Never has the need to support young people’s mental health been greater, and we know that early preventative support using upstream approaches like building resilience can have a positive impact.

A survey conducted by Basketball England found that approximately 27% of basketball players in the UK come from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Lack of funding leaves little available to invest in mental health programmes.

Following an Ofsted inspection in 2020, Notley High in Essex pledged to implement strategies to improve students’ behaviour and wellbeing. Alongside other initiatives, Bloom was brought on board to foster and strengthen the school’s commitment to building a supportive environment for young people’s wellbeing.

Anyone who engages in a sporting activity, whether it be for pleasure or destined for a professional pathway – physical injury is an unavoidable risk. Roughly 48% of youth sport athletes have been found to have at least one injury during an athletic season, (Patel & Nelson, 2000).

There is a great need to support the mental health of children and young people in alternative provision education. A 2018 report from the House of Commons Education Committee (Forgotten children: alternative provision and the scandal of ever-increasing exclusions) found that an estimated one in two pupils in Alternative Provision schools have social, emotional and mental health as their primary category of Special Educational Need, as opposed to 1 in 50 in the general population.