COVID-19 has negatively impacted the mental health of the majority of children and young people, as reported by parents. At the same time, parents have noted substantial barriers to accessing mental health support services.
COVID-19 has negatively impacted the mental health of almost two thirds – 61% – of children and young people, as reported by parents.
A large portion of young people aged 15 to 18 – 71% – were reported by parents to have had worsening mental health due to COVID-19.
The mental health of children aged 0-4 has been relatively less affected, with only 40% of children reported by parents to have had worsening mental health over the pandemic.
For parents who sought services for child mental health support, 41% noted that this was difficult or very difficult.
For children aged 2 years and over, parents and carers report that COVID-19 has had a small negative impact for slightly more than half of children and young people (51 per cent). For about one-in-ten children (10 per cent), COVID-19 has had a large negative impact. Around one-third (35 per cent) thought that COVID-19 had no impact on the child’s mental health, 4 per cent said it had a small positive impact, and 1 per cent said that it had a large positive impact.
Parents were significantly more likely to report that COVID-19 had a negative impact for older children. 71 per cent of young people aged 15-18 were reported to have had a worsening in mental health outcomes due to COVID-19. This is compared to 63 per cent of young people aged 10-14, 62 per cent of children aged 5-9, and 40 per cent of children aged 2-4.
Of all support services asked about, parents report having the most difficulty accessing mental health support. Of parents who sought mental health services, 12 per cent reported access as being very difficult, and 29 per cent reported access being difficult. In contrast, only 4 per cent of parents who sought help for health/medical issues reported this being very difficult to access, and only 5 per cent reported it being very difficult to access academic progress/tutoring support.