Children and young people's mental health in 2022: What does the data tell us? (Centre for Mental Health, 5 December 2022)

Summary

This blog by the Centre for Mental Health looks at data about young people's mental health in 2022 from NHS Digital, highlighting the urgent need for effective mental health services and support for young people. It looks at what needs to change to improve the picture for young people's mental health including addressing child poverty, implementing whole school and college approaches and investing in early intervention support.

Content

Key findings

1. One in four teenagers aged 17-19 have a mental health difficulty, an increase from one in six in 2021.
2. Poverty continues to have a strong link to young people’s poor mental health.
3. Reversed patterns of probable mental health difficulty for boys/young men and girls/young women highlights the need for specific gender-specific approaches.
4. Young people with a mental health difficulty are more likely to have negative experience of social media.
5. Young people with a mental health difficulty are more likely to miss school and feel unsafe while at school.