Mental health affecting education for nearly 50% young people, report finds

Nearly half of young people in the UK have reported struggling with their mental health since the Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, a recent study has found.  

Student Minds, a mental health charity, reported that 57% of students ‘self-reported’ a mental health issue, with the consequences resulting in falling academic performance and dropping out of their studies altogether.

According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NIHCE), moving away from home, academic pressures, the absence of familiar support networks, and financial worries are the main factors that contribute to students having poor mental health.

74% of teachers […] surveyed stated that poor mental health is having a ‘negative impact’ on the ability to learn

However, it has also been proven that young people who are from marginalised backgrounds, for example those who are LGBTQIA+, from ethnic minority backgrounds, and/or are neurodiverse tend to be more likely to experience mental health issues.

This is especially prevalent given the lack of SEND support in schools being highlighted in recent years.

Young Minds, a mental health charity, claims that not only do young people struggle with being able to access mental health support, but that teachers have to spend more of their time supporting students.

74% of teachers that were surveyed stated that poor mental health is having a “negative impact” on the ability to learn in the classroom.

Early intervention is imperative to being able to help young people

Many teachers report that they often have to choose focusing on student wellbeing over completing the formal demands of their job, such as teaching the curriculum. This added burden on a profession that is already stretched thin is also detrimental to teachers’ mental health.

The waiting lists to see a GP are long, with some waiting up to two years to have an appointment with both children and adult mental health services. This time can be invaluable, not only to a vulnerable young person, but also for being able to mitigate the effects of this widespread issue.

Early intervention is imperative to being able to help young people and to alleviate this mental health crisis in which a large proportion of young people are vulnerable.