Children and young people across the UK are facing short, medium and long-term impacts on their mental health and emotional wellbeing, as a result of the pandemic. To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, a Censuswide survey on behalf of BBC Children in Need has found that more than two-thirds of children and young people (68%) aged 11-18 believe that young people’s mental health in general has got worse as a result of the pandemic, with one in three (34%) not feeling comfortable to ask for help if they needed it .

The UK wide survey of 1,012 parents and 1,000 children and young people aged 11-18, reveals that:

More than two-thirds (68%) of the children and young people surveyed believe that young people’s mental health in general has got worse as a result of the pandemic, with 1 in 4 (25%) describing it as ‘much worse’
1 in 3 children and young people (34%) would not feel comfortable asking for support if they felt they needed help with their mental health

More than one-third (39%) of parents said that their child’s mood and behaviour had changed for the worse since the beginning of the pandemic and more than two-thirds (67%) said this was the first time they had noticed any changes with their child’s mental health

Just under one-third of parents (32%) surveyed said that their child’s worries or anxieties had often affected their mood or behaviour, since the first national lockdown

The survey also found that children and young people would feel most comfortable speaking to a parent or carer (49%), friends (15%) or other relatives (9%) about their mental health, suggesting that they are most likely to open up to someone close to them. Nearly half (49%) of the children and young people surveyed had spoken about their mental health with a family member, close friend or trusted adult during the pandemic

The online survey of 1,012 parents with children aged 11-18 years old and 1,000 children aged 11-18 years old were carried out by Censuswide on behalf of BBC Children in Need, to explore the impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health.

In addition to the survey results, there are indications that children and young people from certain backgrounds, including those who were already facing difficulties prior to the pandemic, may have been particularly affected. Last year, BBC Children in Need saw a 10% increase in funding applications from local charities and projects referencing the emotional wellbeing and mental health of the children and young people they support, and in the previous year this was a 3% increase. Within this, there was an 11% increase in applicants supporting children and young people affected by poverty (5% in 2018-19), a 21% increase in applicants supporting those from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds (1% in 2018-19) and a 10% increase in applicants from projects supporting disabled children and young people (1% in 2018-19) referring to emotional wellbeing and mental health.

BBC Children in Need exists to ensure that every child or young person has the opportunity to thrive and be the best they can be. This means helping children and young people to overcome any challenges they may be facing, including supporting their mental health and emotional wellbeing.

With thanks to donations from the UK public, BBC Children in Need is currently funding 1,501 projects supporting children and young people across the UK with their emotional wellbeing and mental health to a value of £94.7m. These projects provide support for children and young people across the spectrum of mental health from emerging signs of anxiety to more significant mental health challenges through a wide range of activities and services. The charity’s dedicated £10m impact programme, A Million & Me, focuses on supporting children who are beginning to struggle with their emotional wellbeing, before mental health problems are established.

BBC Children in Need’s Chief Executive, Simon Antrobus, says: "This survey clearly shows that children and young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing has been significantly impacted by the pandemic and that urgent action is needed.

“Much more needs to be done. What’s also clear is that we can all play a role in addressing early signs of worry and anxiety, by showing children and young people that we’re here to support them and to listen to them.

“The projects we are able to fund across the UK demonstrate this: whether they deliver counselling, youth services, befriending and mentoring, family support, or arts and creativity programmes, children and young people are encouraged to explore their feelings and are supported to develop their resilience, reduce stress, and improve self-confidence. This support, delivered with kindness and empathy, can make a real difference to a child’s wellbeing and can help prevent mental health problems from becoming embedded.”

Beginning this month, BBC Children in Need is partnering with BBC England’s Make a Difference Happy Heads Campaign which aims to help address the impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health by providing links to local charities and organisations that can offer support, and signposting to local and national volunteering opportunities. as well as sharing stories of hope across local BBC radio.