Big rise in 3-7 year olds needing mental health support
Specialists in North Yorkshire say it is putting a huge strain on the NHS
Mental health specialists in North Yorkshire say there has been a big rise in the number of young people needing support.
A new report suggest half of children across the country aged between 3 and 7 years old are struggling with emotional health problems.
Emma Taylor is a clinical nurse specialist in children's mental health who is based in Ripon: "Unfortunately like most mental health professionals it doesn't surprise me which is a sad thing to have to say but I think a lot of us have seen this growing epidemic over a number of years and we've seen waiting lists continually increase."
"Families are often finding when they get to the end of that waiting list support isn't actually offered because there is such a huge demand on services they simply can't accept everybody who is referred and it means there is almost this missing wave of young people who are reaching out for support and finding it's just not there."
"We've been seeing it getting tougher and tougher over a number of years. We've seen various different impacts of that from the cuts in funding on early intervention services almost a decade ago now had a big roll on effect."
"In my area we've particularly seen more and more younger children, we have parents have children asking for support for much younger children, particularly since COVID there has been a big spike for that much younger group."
New app launched to help parents
A new digital tool which aims to support and empower parents to better understand their child’s emotional wellbeing.
Parents across the UK say anxiety (46%), neurodevelopmental conditions (36%), and low mood (29%) are the most common issues their children face daily, with only a fifth of parents believing their child can effectively manage their emotions.
Yet almost half (49%) of parents are worried about how best to manage certain behaviours.
With one in every six children being diagnosed with a mental health condition in the UK, early intervention is key. However, many children are not getting the support they need as they don’t meet the minimum threshold for specialist care or are stuck on a long Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) waiting lists.
To help support parents, educators, and the NHS with the tools to offer support earlier, this Mental Health Awareness Week (13th-19th May), the new Embers the Dragon digital programme is beginning a major clinical trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), to support the emotional health of children and build resilience.
Designed for children aged 3-7 and their families, the programme integrates Social Learning Theory and Self Determination Theory into a combination of children's entertainment and parental education, which empowers parents to better understand and support their child's emotional wellbeing. It includes an animated series, games and activities for children, as well as an accompanying course and standalone resources for parents, carers, and educators.
The ecosystem of content and support is particularly important for young parents (aged 18-24), with figures showing they are more likely to have concerns about their child with three quarters (75%) worrying they’ve experienced difficulties with their mental wellbeing and anxiety in the past. However, they are less likely than older parents to seek support from health professionals.