US Edition
One in five children are suffering from “probable mental health disorders”, an official survey has found.
An NHS survey of children and parents, published by the ONS, showed a surge in respondents reporting a possible mental health disorder among eight to 16-year-olds last year compared with before the pandemic when it stood at 12.5pc, or one in eight.
A further 12pc are considered to have a “possible disorder”.
Among older teens, almost a quarter of 17 to 19-year-olds also have probable disorders, according to the survey.
In this age group there is a significant gender divide, as almost one in three young women are thought to suffer, which is double the 15.4pc figure for young men.
Campaigners said the pressures of the pandemic and lockdown have put children under increasing strain, while the health system is struggling to cope with surging demand.
The NHS analysis also found those deemed unlikely to have disorders were more likely to have exercised, spent time in green spaces or participated in activities in the week before the survey.
The figures come after official forecasts predicted the cost of sickness benefits will rise by more than a third in the next five years to more than £90bn per year.
This includes payments to children, working-age adults and retirees with health problems.
It follows concern from the Government over a sharp rise in the number of adults leaving the workforce because of mental ill-health. Overall more than 2.7m people of working age cite long-term sickness as the reason they are neither in work nor looking for a job.
Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, this week told The Telegraph some people are now “convincing themselves they have some kind of serious mental health condition as opposed to the normal anxieties of life.”
“An honest, grown-up debate” is needed, Mr Stride said.
“It is too important for people and their futures, too important for the way that welfare works and too important for the economy to just ignore,” he said.
Olly Parker, at mental health charity Young Minds, said: “This generation has grown up through a pandemic with intense academic pressure to catch up on lost learning, a cost-of-living crisis and increasing global instability, all of which has taken a toll on mental health.
“Many young people who reach out for help are faced with a system stretched to breaking point. Waiting times are too long and young people are becoming more unwell waiting to receive the support they should be able to access as soon as they need it. Others are turned away because they’re told they’re not ill enough. The consequences of this can be devastating for the young person and their family.”
Gwen Nightingale at the Health Foundation, added: “Investment is needed to respond to this demand, including faster roll-out of mental health support teams to schools and colleges, a reversal of the cuts to youth provision. We also need better data so that we can understand what works.”
Dr Lade Smith CBE, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, called on the Government and the NHS to put children “at the heart of their policy making and funding decisions”.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Spending on mental health has increased by £4.7bn in cash terms since 2018/19 and we are increasing the coverage of mental health support teams in schools to reach at least 50pc of pupils in England by March 2025.
“In February, we announced 24 existing early support hubs across the country will receive additional funding to help provide support to those that need it.”