Children and young people: emotional wellbeing and mental health project
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Healthwatch Salford undertook research on children and young people's emotional wellbeing and mental health. They received 411 valid responses from children and young people across Salford, with 16% reporting direct experience of mental health services. The project was co-designed with a steering group of young people aged 14 to 18 and aimed to inform the review of services for people aged 0 to 25 and the transformation of CAMHS.
The research found that friends, family and parents were the main sources of happiness and support, while school, exams, stress and bullying were the most common causes of unhappiness and anxiety. Young people aged 11 to 17 generally reported feeling less happy and receiving less support from family than younger children. Many respondents said they would not ask for help when feeling stressed, suggesting that stigma, lack of awareness and concerns about accessing support remained important barriers.
Among those who had used mental health services, anxiety, worry and anger were the most common reasons for referral. Most referrals were supported by schools, teachers, parents or GPs. Waiting times were a significant concern, with many young people reporting that their situation either stayed the same or worsened while waiting for help. Respondents said that self-help resources, peer support, someone to talk to and earlier intervention would have helped during this period. Many young people also described feeling nervous, scared or uncomfortable when first accessing services.
Healthwatch Salford recommended greater focus on prevention and early intervention, improved support for families, better mental health awareness among teachers, parents and other trusted adults, and easier access to support for young people. The report also highlighted the need to reduce stigma around seeking help, improve information provided to young people, consider self-referral options, provide support while people are waiting for services and strengthen partnership working across children's services.