SCARRING A GENERATION

Fears the Covid crisis is hurting younger minds

PANDEMIC trauma could scar young people’s minds, say NHS experts, as mental health problems swell among children.

The NHS Digital survey also found a surge in youngsters with eating problems relating to body image – three quarters of women aged 17-23 had one.

The report, compiled with Cambridge University and the Office for National Statistics, showed 17.4% of children aged six to 16 are living with a “probable mental health disorder”.

This means five pupils in every class of 30 are likely to be in need of help – up from 16.6% in 2019 and 11.6% in 2017.

Interviews with 3,667 children and their parents found mental health had deteriorated in 39% of them between 2017 and 2021. The figure in 17-23s was 53%. Investigator Prof Tamsin Ford, of Cambridge University, said: “We have observational data showing a worrying increase in ‘probable disorder’ that has been maintained. We have now evidence at a population level that this wasn’t a blip.”

The polling carried out

February found 76.4% of girls aged 17 to 19 had an “eating problem”, up from 60.5% in 2017. Among boys that age there was an increase from 29.6% to 41%. White children were twice as likely to have a probable mental disorder as those from an ethnic minority background. Those with a probable mental disorder were more likely to live in households that struggle to afford food. Imran Hussain, director at Action for Children, said: “These shocking figures show the true scale of the mental health crisis. Children need support as soon as a problem is identified.”

Sean Duggan, mental health lead at the NHS Confederation, said: “The mental ill-health of many of our children and young people is now at unprecedented levels, as this shows.

“The knock-on effect means a much higher risk of serious mental health issues lasting into adulthood.”

A Government spokeswoman said: “We are committed to expanding and transforming mental health services in England. We have committed to investing an additional £2.3billion a year by 2023/24, meaning an additional 345,000 children and young people per year will be able to access NHSfunded services.”

Teenage campaigners delivered a letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday, urging more cash for mental health early support hubs.