Combatting the crisis in children's mental health

In fact, she’s a self-confessed wimp who’s afraid of everything – even food makes her anxious. The thought of starting secondary school fills her with dread and her worst fears prove founded when, on the first day, she’s targeted by bully Demelza Rice. With the support of her family and best friend, she is finally able to tap into her inner strength, vanquishing the bully and ending up a heroine. 
With the post-pandemic spike in children’s mental ill-health, this reassurance has never been more needed. Last year, Olly Parker, of the charity YoungMinds, referred to an “unprecedented crisis” and the statistics bear this out. An NHS survey published in November found that, in 2022, 18 per cent of children aged seven to 16 had a “probable” mental disorder; for 17 to 19-year-olds, the figure was a shocking 25.7 per cent. The pandemic is clearly part of the explanation but, worryingly, the numbers continue to head in the wrong direction. While the disruption may be over, Covid appears to have seeded a problem that can’t simply be fixed by getting children back to school.
 One of the key factors in the decline of young people’s mental health is the lack of resources, with data from mutual insurer Royal London showing that those who can afford it are increasingly choosing to go private.
The tragic case of 14-year-old Molly Russell, who took her own life in 2017 after viewing harmful content online, illustrates what can happen when mental ill-health is left untreated. The inquest last year delivered a scathing indictment of social media platforms and called for greater regulation of what children can be exposed to. Significantly, Molly’s family had no idea of what she was viewing and only found out after her death. 

Having each lost a daughter to suicide, the 3 Dads Walking, including Andy Airey, of Morland, have made it their mission to highlight the issue. Their latest crusade is to have suicide prevention included on the school curriculum and, as well as drafting a petition, they’ve walked 600 miles between all four UK parliaments to make their point. The government responded to the petition with a statement including the lines: “All pupils in schools are taught about mental health as part of the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum. Schools can teach older pupils about suicide in an age-appropriate and sensitive way. The Department for Education is committed to review the RSHE statutory guidance, which we plan to start in 2023.”
For the 3 Dads, this is simply not enough. They believe that it is only through education – starting at primary school – that children can be empowered to recognise when they are at risk and ask for help. 
Another spectre looming over children’s lives is Andrew Tate. In recent months, it seems the influencer known for his flashy lifestyle and flagrant misogyny has become ubiquitous. Schools have been in a quandary about how to deal with the problem. Ben Karlin, who advises teachers on Twitter about how to counter Tate’s influence, believes they shouldn’t just ignore him. He said: “It’s important to try to explain what he’s doing and why.” 
The long-awaited Online Safety Bill, which promises greater protections for children, should soon become law and in today’s society, children are encouraged to speak up about mental health issues.  It’s a tough world out there but with the right support, they can learn to live in it. 
Demelza Rice Is Not Very Nice by Sarah Millington is published by The Book Guild, priced £6.99.