Parents more concerned about mental well-being of their children than any other issue, according to a new study

By Good News Post

The same Public Health England Survey found that a third of children are feeling more anxious and stressed after Lockdown.

And four in ten children have become more lonely than they were before March.

The agency has now launched a new Every Mind Matters campaign https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/ urging children to look out for signs of distress and laying out new tips for parents.

Based on a YouGov survey of 2,559 parents who have children aged five to 18, the results found parents were more concerned about the mental well-being of their children than any other issue.

One in four parents said they did not know how to go about improving their child’s mental health.

Among the advice published is the importance of establishing a routine and encouraging children to indulge in their hobbies and interests.

Nadine Dorries, the minister for mental health, said: “The effects of the pandemic on children and young people’s mental health have been challenging and it is vital we continue to do all we can to protect them and prevent long-term effects.”

The campaign’s website offers a wealth of information to parents and carers of young children with the top tip urging them to “be there to listen”.

Dawn Carey of In Charley’s Memory mental health charity in Burnham on Sea, Weston-super-Mare, and elsewhere in Somerset, said: “At ICM we are all to aware of how are young people are coping with their mental health and in particular what issues they are struggling with.

“We know first hand that our young people are coming out of lockdown feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness. We cannot say there is one thing that is triggering this as all our kids are different.

“But for many of our young people the lack of routine, the unknown and the missed six months of their lives has had severe implications. 

“We know many students have “lost” their places at university and have seen their dreams crumble as a result.

“We cannot dismiss how they feel and we should not tell them how they feel. Our young people need our support more than ever.”