Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services YOUTH Survey 2015/16

Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin's YOUTH (Your Own Unique Telford Healthwatch) group undertook a large-scale survey of young people's mental health and wellbeing during 2015-16. The survey, designed with input from young people, explored awareness and use of CAMHS, experiences of stress, sources of support and self-harm. A total of 4,352 young people from secondary schools and colleges across Telford and Wrekin participated, making it one of the largest youth mental health engagement exercises undertaken locally. 

The survey found relatively low awareness and use of CAMHS. Only 18.6% of respondents had heard of CAMHS before completing the survey and 6.8% had used the service. Awareness and use were higher among girls and transgender respondents. By comparison, over a third of respondents (33.8%) had used other sources of emotional support such as school nurses or Relateen services. 

Stress was a major theme. The average distress score reported by young people was 4.6 out of 10, rising to 6.1 among those who had used CAMHS and 6.0 among transgender respondents. Homework and exams were the most common causes of stress, followed by teachers. However, young people who had used CAMHS were much more likely to report stress linked to parents, family relationships, friendships, home life and body image. Social media was identified as a particularly significant source of stress among transgender respondents. 

The survey also highlighted concerns about self-harm and emotional wellbeing. Overall, 20.8% of respondents reported that they had either self-harmed or considered intentionally harming themselves. This increased to 27.8% among female respondents and 63.1% among those who had used CAMHS. Young people most commonly coped with stress through talking to friends, listening to music, gaming, sleeping and watching television. When seeking support, most said they would turn to parents (66.7%) or friends (52.7%), while very few would use social media for help. 

The findings also revealed important inequalities. Transgender respondents consistently reported higher levels of distress, greater awareness and use of CAMHS, more stress linked to social media, body image and relationships, and lower likelihood of seeking help from parents or teachers. Young people using CAMHS were also more likely to have caring responsibilities, long-term health conditions or disabilities, and to identify as LGBT+. 

Overall, the survey demonstrated significant levels of emotional distress among young people in Telford and Wrekin and highlighted the importance of improving awareness of mental health services, strengthening early support, addressing school-related stressors and ensuring vulnerable groups receive appropriate help. The report reinforced the national priority being placed on children's and young people's mental health and wellbeing.