The pandemic has taken a devastating toll on children's mental health, with official figures showing a sharp rise in disorders. NHS Digital and the Office for National Statistics report that one in six children aged five to 16 now has a probable mental health disorder, up from one in nine three years ago. Older girls are the worst affected.
School closures have been particularly damaging, as they remove not just education but also social interaction and a safe haven for some children. Prof Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, told MPs: 'When we close schools we close their lives.' He highlighted increased isolation, sleep problems and reduced physical activity among children.
The stress on families from unemployment and financial insecurity has also taken its toll. The NSPCC reports a 10% rise in counselling for loneliness via its Childline service. One 16-year-old caller said: 'I feel really sad and lonely. Most days I find myself just lost in my own thoughts and feeling numb.'
Babies are not spared either. Health visitors warn that the first 1,001 days of life are crucial for development, but services have been cut and social distancing has removed vital baby groups. Alison Morton, head of the Institute of Health Visiting, said support has been reduced to online only in many areas.
The Prince's Trust Youth Index found more than half of 16 to 25-year-olds always or often feel anxious, the highest level ever recorded. Jonathan Townsend of the trust fears young people are 'losing all hope for their future'. Experts are baffled by the continued ban on children's sport, given low outdoor transmission risks and clear benefits for physical and mental health.
