LGBT*Q+ young people
Download (PDF 1.05 MB)Summary of report content
Healthwatch Suffolk undertake a large scale survey of the wellbeing of children and young people in Suffolk every year. This summary report looks at the wellbeing of LGBT*Q young people. This report is based on 1,763 young people.
Key findings:
Young people’s wellbeing has increased after experiencing record low scores for the last two years. However, scores for LGBT*Q+ students showed no meaningful difference.
The Good Childhood Index (GCI) was used to measure young people’s happiness in relation to ten different aspects of life. The proportion of LGBT*Q+ young people scored below the mid-point on the 0-10 scale, compared to heterosexual peers. These students would be considered as having ‘low wellbeing’.
Less than 1 in 8 (12%) LGBT*Q+ young people in Suffolk have ‘low’ or ‘no risk’ of Generalised Anxiety Disorder. That compared to 40% of heterosexual students.
The most favoured suggestion for improvement by LGBT*Q+ students was more awareness of mental health among school or college staff and students (61%). This was closely followed by more information about support options and where to access them (51%). The most favoured suggestions for improvements by heterosexual students were more after-school activities (45%) and more awareness among staff and students (41%).
One in five LGBT*Q+ students said they don't have someone at their school or college to talk to about their mental health.
LGBT*Q+ young people were twice as likely to be ‘very worried’ or ‘worried’ about the potential impact of the rising cost of living on themselves and their families.
LGBT*Q+ were more likely to report feeling worried about all of the statements about the cost of living now or in the future compared to heterosexual students.
LGBT*Q+ young people (45%/ 721) were more likely to report concern about their weight compared to heterosexual students (26%/ 2,396). The most favoured option by LGBT*Q+ (30%) and heterosexual students (37%) was information about losing or gaining weight. This was closely followed by information about healthy diets.
Most young people did not vape or smoke (see graph). Although, heterosexual young people were more likely to report this than LGBT*Q+ young people (90% vs. 79%). In total, 20% (315) of LGBT*Q+ students vaped compared to 9% (867) of heterosexual students.
LGBT*Q+ young people were slightly more likely to have known about local sexual health services than heterosexual young people.
LGBT*Q+ young people were much more likely to have heard or seen sexual harassment in their school/college than heterosexual students.
Most students had received information about the RSE topics. Although, LGBT*Q+ students were more likely to say they had not.
LGBT*Q+ students were slightly more likely to say they had not received information about the physical (9% vs. 8%) and emotional changes (14% vs. 11%) than heterosexual peers.