There is growing concern for the mental health of the children and young people in our nation. There has been a persistent growth in the mental ill-health that has become increasingly evident, which has a knock-on effect both in the present and in the future.
There is evidence that schools are struggling to deal with the rising numbers of students who are self-harming (‘Schools ‘struggling to cope’ with students self-harming,’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/30695657, 7 January 2015). The NHS statistics indicate that there was a 20 per cent increase in the 10 to 19 year-old age group who were admitted to hospital because of self-harming in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The figures showed that the hospital admissions rose from 22,978 in 2012-13 to 28,730 in the following year. The statistics for Scotland were not available.
Caroline Kolek, a secondary school teacher and spokesperson for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, commented that ‘there is a correlation [between the figures and] a decrease in funding for mental health services – we’ve lost our emotional well-being workers who used to come into schools, we’ve lost youth workers and there is certainly a massive underfunding in mental health services for young people so many aren’t getting the support, and their families aren’t getting the support they need.’
In addition to the concern of schools, many parents in the UK (43%)are more likely to be anxious about their children’s mental wellbeing than any other health issue, according to research by Action for Children (‘Children’s mental health is parents’ greatest concern,’ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-30701591, 7 January 2015).
Amongst mothers, the figure rose to 47 per cent.
It contrasted to the concerns about diet and weight (37% mothers and 27% fathers), serious illnesses like cancer (21%), long-term health conditions like asthma and diabetes (20%), and allergies and food intolerance (10%).
Many of the problems caused by mental ill-health, particularly among young people, is due to stress brought on by worry. Jesus exhorted us ‘do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.’ (Matthew 6: 34)
As most worries are about the future, most of which do not occur.
We need to be aware of the mental health of our young people, to come alongside to encourage them in facing the situations that they confront.
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