child mental health | First Response Training

NSPCC campaign tackles ‘heart-breaking’ loneliness

The NSPCC has launched a new campaign to tackle the “heart-breaking” loneliness experienced by children and young people across the country.

New NSPCC campaign aims to tackle loneliness among children and young people The ‘Day in the Lonely’ campaign uses day-in-the-life style videos to illustrate how three young people experience loneliness.

The videos, based on real-life calls received by Childline, are designed to encourage children to share their feelings of loneliness, and to reassure them that these feelings don’t need to last.

Childline conducts 15 loneliness counselling sessions each day

Loneliness among children peaked during the pandemic but remains high The campaign comes in the wake of new Childline data which reveals that the free, confidential helpline is contacted an average of 15 times each day by children struggling with loneliness.

Childline delivered a total of 5,564 counselling sessions on loneliness between April 2021 and March 2022.

Counselling sessions on the issue of loneliness predictably peaked at more than 6000 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK. Numbers have since fallen slightly but remain high.

Children who contact Childline are often experiencing loneliness because they’ve been left out of friendship groups and social media chats. Others struggle with the issue because they feel negatively about themselves or believe that their family or friends don’t understand them.

Loneliness can lead to mental health issues

The campaign videos include information on how Childline can support children and young people, including through email and message boards.

It is hoped they will prompt young people to open up about their mental health issues early on, to prevent them escalating to crisis point. Poor mental health has remained a top concern for children contacting the helpline for the past 6 years.

The Director of Childline, Shaun Friel, explains:

“Loneliness is sadly an issue that a high number of children and young people are experiencing.

“At Childline, we know the impact this can have on a child’s wellbeing and mental health.

“We’ve had cases of children left feeling depressed. That’s why we are reminding all children that talking to a trusted adult like a parent, teacher or Childline counsellor about being lonely is a brave thing to do. It will enable them to get the help they need.

“Through this campaign, we want to raise awareness among children and adults, that there are many reasons why young people might feel lonely, but these feelings don’t have to last.

“Getting support early on can prevent things from escalating in the future.”

The Day in the Lonely campaign is supported by supermarket retailer Lidl GB, which has been raising funds for Childline since 2020.

Lidl GB’s Senior CSR Manager, Mark Newbold, says: “It’s heart-breaking to see young people struggle with loneliness, and that is why at Lidl we are proud to have funded the NSPCC’s Day in the Lonely campaign.

“We are committed to raising funds that mean more youngsters in need of emotional support can get the help they require as fast as possible.”

Coping with loneliness

Childline provides tips for coping with loneliness The Day in the Lonely campaign page also provides tips for young people who need support but are struggling to talk about their experiences. It also provides top tips for making friends and everyday steps that children and young people can take to cope with loneliness. These include:

Doing something everyday that makes you feel positive, whether that’s listening to music, getting active, speaking to someone you care about or tidying something up. Even doing something simple and small each day can help to lift your mood and improve your ability to cope.
Taking care of yourself by getting enough sleep, following a daily routine, eating healthily, being physically active and making time to relax. Maintaining a healthy daily routine can help make things easier to cope with.
Get help to make friends and take the time and effort to build relationships. Many people may find it difficult to make friends, so follow help and advice and try making the first step, engaging in conversation, being yourself, joining clubs and societies and remember to be patient and take your time.
Seek support from someone you trust with things in your life you’re struggling with. This could be a relative, teacher, friend, your doctor or any adult you feel safe with.

For more help and advice, visit the Day in the Lonely webpage or contact Childline for free on 0800 1111.

Supporting children and young people

Young people are urged to talk to someone about loneliness and mental health struggles early on First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider delivering courses in subjects such as health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, food safety, mental health, health and social care, safeguarding and more.

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services.

Their courses include Understanding Mental Health, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Anxiety Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness.

A trainer from FRT says:

“We know that many children faced isolation and loneliness during the pandemic, and this has continued for many, with lots of children and young people also experiencing social and general anxiety, as well as depression in many cases.

“It’s vitally important that we keep talking openly about mental health and that we take the time to make meaningful connections, and have conversations, with children to support their wellbeing and check in with them about how they’re feeling.

“It’s also really important for anyone who works closely with children and young people to have a good understanding of mental health and be able to spot the signs that someone may be struggling. They should also feel confident to offer appropriate early help and support. Focused training can help with this.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Let’s Connect for Children’s Mental Health Week

This week (6^th-12^th February 2023) is Children’s Mental Health Week and the theme for this year is Let’s Connect, as data suggests more than two-thirds of children experiencing mental health problems feel socially anxious.

Children's Mental Health Week encourages connections and communication

The annual awareness week is run by children’s mental health charity, Place2Be, and was first launched in 2015 to help highlight the importance of children’s mental health and wellbeing.

The charity provides a range of free resources for schools, youth groups and families, such as activity ideas, assembly guides, videos and top tips, to help primary and secondary-aged children and adults explore the topics of mental health and wellbeing.

In line with this year’s theme, suggested activities will help children, young people and adults to consider how we can make meaningful connections that support and protect our mental health.

A lack of connections impacts children’s mental health

Meaningful connections are important for children's mental health

An absence of rewarding and meaningful social connections can lead to people feeling isolated and lonely, which can in turn have a negative impact on our mental health and wellbeing.

With 1 in 6 children living with a diagnosable mental health condition in England, Place2Be wants to encourage people to connect with family, friends and others in healthy, rewarding and meaningful ways during Children’s Mental Health and Week – and beyond.

They say: “People thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing.”

Princess of Wales supports Children’s Mental Health Week

Her Royal Highness Catherine, Princess of Wales, is the Royal Patron of Place2Be and has supported Children’s Mental Health Week since its inception 9 years ago.

To mark Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, she met with primary school children in East London to discuss the importance of making connections and supporting children’s mental health. The Princess encouraged the pupils of St John’s CE Primary School in Bethnal Green to keep talking openly about their feelings, and to continue to check in with one another regarding their emotional wellbeing.

Children’s Mental Health Week comes just as Her Royal Highness has launched her awareness campaign, Shaping Us, which aims to increase public understanding of the crucial importance of the first five years of a child’s life.

Many children feel ‘socially anxious’

New data released by Place2Be shows that almost 78% of the young people supported by the charity last year felt socially anxious and that nearly two-thirds (65%) had difficulties interacting with their classmates.

However, the data also reveals that, with support, two-thirds (76%) of those experiencing severe difficulties saw an improvement in their mental health and wellbeing.

These latest findings follow the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns, which led many children and young people to miss out on classroom connections and become isolated from their friends. Teachers have since asked for support in helping young people across the country to improve their social interactions and confidence.

Place2Be notes that a lack of meaningful connections is a key driver in loneliness and anxiety, which makes it vitally important that children and young people can form supportive friendships.

Catherine Roche, CEO of Place2Be, explains:

“In one-to-one sessions with our counsellors, children are telling us how difficult they find it to form and maintain friendships. Forming positive relationships is fundamental to our mental wellbeing and this has been significantly disrupted in recent years.

“While the statistics around children’s mental health are stark, I am optimistic. Through targeted interventions across the school, we can help children and young people become confident, resilient and able to cope with life’s challenges.

“Disconnection and loneliness should not be a part of school life.”

Reach out to tackle mental health crisis

The charity hopes that Children’s Mental Health Week will help to highlight the importance of early intervention in preventing the most serious mental health problems.

Roche adds:

“We hope this week that everyone, whether a child or adult, in school, at home or on the bus, has at least one meaningful conversation with someone. Reach out! We need to embed a culture of destigmatizing our mental health to create a brighter future for our young people.”

Place2Be want people to connect and keep talking about children's mental health

Place2Be have also launched a short film series created by BAFTA for Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, where BAFTA’s Young Presenters, aged between 12 and 17, met with film, TV and radio stars to reflect on the different ways in which they connect with others.

In addition, Place2Be Ambassador, podcaster and journalist, Josh Smith, spoke with secondary school pupils about the different ways in which they connect, and how connections can impact their mental health and wellbeing. The video can be viewed on Place2Be’s website.

Place2Be also offers a social media guide and resources, toolkits for schools, posters, flyers and fundraising packs to help people spread the word, increase awareness and raise funds for children’s mental health.

Mental health training and support for those working with children

Early intervention is important for children's mental health

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider delivering courses in subjects such as health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, food safety, mental health, health and social care, safeguarding and more.

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services.

Their courses include Understanding Mental Health, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Anxiety Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness.

A trainer from FRT says:

“Many children faced isolation, loneliness and academic upheaval during and since the pandemic, and this has led many to experience social and general anxiety, as well as depression in many cases.

“It’s vitally important that we keep talking openly about mental health and that we take the time to make meaningful connections, and have conversations, with children to support their wellbeing and check in with them.

“It’s also really important for anyone who works closely with children and young people to have a good understanding of mental health and be able to spot the signs that someone may be struggling. They should also feel confident to offer appropriate early help and support. Focused training can help with this.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Third of UK adults feel anxious about their finances

There are worries about the state of the nation’s mental health after a recent survey found that more than one third (34%) of adults in the UK felt anxious due to financial worries.

The cost-of-living crisis is negatively impacting the mental health of adults in the UK as they feel anxious and stressed over money worries The survey, commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation, also found that 1 in 10 adults felt hopeless about their finances, while 3 in 10 reported feeling stressed.

The Foundation says the results are a “warning sign” of a significant rise in mental health problems across the UK amid the cost-of-living crisis.

Anxiety caused by cost-of-living crisis

The survey, conducted by Opinium in November 2022, questioned 3000 adults aged 18 and over and found that, during the previous month, 29% of respondents had experienced stress, 34% experienced anxiety and 10% felt hopeless because of their financial situation.

Many adults are anxious about being able to pay household bills

Looking ahead, two thirds (66%) of adults said they were most concerned about being able to heat their home.

In addition, over 60% were worried about not being able to pay general monthly household bills, and 71% were concerned about not being able to maintain their standard of living.

Half of respondents also admitted being at least a little concerned about not being able to afford to buy food during the next few months.

Among younger adults aged 18 to 34, this number jumped to 67%.

Charity calls for action

The Foundation has urged the government to take action, calling on them to protect people across the UK in the following ways:

Safeguarding financial benefits, so they rise with inflation
Increasing the capacity of debt services, food banks, community organisations and social security departments
Providing these services with staff training on addressing the trauma that claimants may have experienced
Maintaining and extending free or subsidised public transport to allow people to stay connected to friends and family

The Foundation says evidence shows that financial strain and poverty are key contributors to a decline in mental wellbeing and the development of conditions such as anxiety, stress and depression.

Their Chief Executive, Mark Rowland, explains:

“Our findings are a warning sign of the mental health consequences of the cost-of-living crisis. We must protect public services and benefits at this crucial time. If people are struggling to meet their essential needs for a warm home and enough healthy food for their families, we can expect a significant rise in mental health problems as the burden of financial strain continues to take its toll.”

Mental Health Foundation calls for action on cost of living crisis

He added: “[…] Preventing mental health problems is vital. Our mental health services are already stretched beyond capacity; we cannot sit on the sidelines and watch them collapse under ever-greater demand.”

In 2022, the Mental Health Foundation published research in partnership with the London School of Economics and Political Science which estimated that mental health problems cost the UK economy a staggering £118 billion every year.

The report revealed that much of this is preventable, and outlined cost-effective measures to prevent poor mental wellbeing.

Open letter on mental health and the cost-of-living crisis

Poverty can impact child mental health

In November, the Foundation wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak about the cost-of-living crisis and mental health in the UK.

Describing it as a “shameful and unnecessary situation”, they highlighted the fact that poverty is the single biggest driver of poor mental health in children.

Signed by leading representatives from the Samaritans, Mental Health First Aid England, Mind and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, among others, the letter stated:

“[…] the first intervention to reduce mental ill health and prevent suicide is to ensure every household has the means to be safe and warm with enough to eat.”

Advice for managing mental health and money

As well as urging the government to take action, the Foundation has provided help and advice for people experiencing stress, anxiety or depression as a result of financial worries.

Guidance also includes signposting to a number of help and support services.

Advice for those who are feeling financial strain includes:

Get control of your finances – ensure you’re receiving any benefits you may be entitled to. You can speak to your local Council and Citizens Advice Bureau for help. You may be able to access emergency loans or grants, if needed. Try recording your income and outgoings to get a better perspective on your finances, and you could also try downloading a free budgeting app.
Help with housing, food and energy costs – Seek out community support and resources, such as foodbanks as well as school uniform banks, toy libraries and more. Local libraries often signpost community resources and provide free activities for families. Shelter can provide support for housing issues or homelessness, while the website Money Saving Expert provides lots of practical information and advice for tackling rising energy costs.
Tackle your debts – the Foundation emphasises that banks and credit card companies will usually be able to make suitable repayment arrangements to help you manage your debts, while local councils have special arrangements to help with council tax payments. Contact services as soon as possible to get help with any money you owe. You can also contact the debt charity StepChange for expert advice and solutions.
Look after your health – Contact your GP, relevant charities or a counsellor if you are worried about your mental health. Many organisations can offer free or low-cost therapy services. You could also reach out to a friend, relative or colleague for support. If you are struggling with alcohol or drug use, or other potentially harmful behaviours as a method of coping with stress or anxiety, access free and confidential help and advice from relevant charities.
Eating on a budget – Find tips, advice, recipes and other resources for eating on a budget from the Association of UK Dieticians, many big supermarkets and the BBC Good Food website (search ‘Budget recipes and advice’). If you are struggling to buy essential food items, contact the Trussell Trust for advice and information about your local food banks.
Get a good nights’ sleep – Try to create a good sleep routine by getting up and going to bed at the same times each day, and avoid afternoon naps. Try to close curtains at night and keep them open during the day to aid your body clock and avoid using technology, such as smartphones, before bed.
Limit your exposure to bad news – Try to be aware of your mood and feelings when you’re watching TV, listening to the radio or scrolling online, and if you start to experience negative feelings, such as anxiety, switch off and do something else.
Find time for yourself – Although this can be hard to do, regularly setting aside time to carry out positive or relaxing activities for yourself can be extremely beneficial for your wellbeing. You could try mindfulness exercises or take some time to reflect on positive elements of your day.

For more information, help and guidance, visit the Mental Health Foundation’s website.

Learning solutions for positive mental health

Mental health learning and development solutions can also play a significant role in helping people to recognise mental health risks and proactively support positive mental health and wellbeing across the UK.

Money worries and debt can impact mental health

An accredited Mindful Employer themselves, FRT’s specialist mental health training courses include Understanding Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace, Managing Stress, Anxiety and Phobias Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness.

They can also provide qualified, approved trainers to deliver accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training courses, including the Adult, Youth and Lite versions.

A trainer from FRT says:

“In the depths of winter, during a cost-of-living crisis and following a year of political upheaval, it’s more important than ever that we all work hard to prioritise our mental health and wellbeing.

“There are simple steps we can all take to proactively support and promote positive mental health and it’s important that people are aware of these and that we are focusing on preventative strategies as well as treatment and recovery for those that need it.

“Our mental health courses look at ways of supporting mental health, including tools such as Mind’s five ways to wellbeing, and explore techniques to build emotional resilience.

“Businesses and organisations across the UK can experience immense benefits if they provide relevant mental health training for their staff.”

Resources to support wellbeing

A brief summary of our mental health training can now be downloaded as an infographic.

We also have a number of free infographics available to download which provide simple tips for helping to manage your mental wellbeing. These include:

You can also download our free Guide to Mental Health Training from our website.

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Child mental health referrals up 39% after ‘difficult’ year

Referrals for child mental health services have risen by 39% in England in just one year, official data has revealed.

Child mental health is declining in England NHS referrals for mental health treatment for under-18s increased to more than 1.1 million during 2021-22, compared to 839,570 in 2020-21, and 850,741 in 2019-20.

The figures – branded “alarming” by the NSPCC – represent children who are suicidal, self-harming or suffering serious depression or anxiety, as well as those living with eating disorders.

Social issues impacting child mental health

Child mental health has been negatively impacted by the pandemic Experts say key social issues, including the Covid-19 pandemic, social inequality, austerity and online harm are all fuelling soaring rates of mental ill-health among children and young people.

They also said that children continue to face increased academic pressures to catch up following the Covid-19 lockdowns, while worrying about their future prospects amid a cost-of-living crisis and issues like climate change.

Mental health services unable to respond quickly enough

Dr Elaine Lockhart, Chair of the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, warned that overstretched services mean that children are sliding through the cracks.

She explained that “specialist services are needing to respond to the most urgent and the most unwell,” such as children suffering from psychosis, suicidal thoughts and severe anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, targets for seeing children with eating disorders were sliding “completely.”

Data from NHS Digital shows that hospital admissions for children with eating disorders have risen by 82% in two years.

Lockhart added:

“I think what’s frustrating for us is if we could see them more quickly and intervene, then the difficulties might not become as severe as they do, because they’ve had to wait.”

A difficult year for mental health

Child mental health has been impacted by social issues such as austerity Lockhart explains that child mental health had been declining before the pandemic struck, with increasing social inequality, austerity and online harm all playing a role.

Then Covid-19 hit and lockdowns were introduced, resulting in “such a negative effect on a lot of children. Those who had been doing well became vulnerable and those who were vulnerable became unwell.”

Tom Madders from the youth mental health charity YoungMinds described the new figures as “deeply concerning.”

He said:

“The last year has been one of the most difficult for this age group, emerging from the pandemic to limited prospects for their futures, coupled with an increase in academic pressure to catch up on lost learning, and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.

“The current state of play cannot continue. The government must get a grip of the situation.”

More funding for mental health services

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said they were investing £2.3 billion a year into mental health services so that an additional 345,000 children and young people will be able to access mental health support by 2024.

They added that they were “aiming to grow the mental health workforce by 27,000 more staff by this time too.”

Child mental health training and support

Child mental health training is important First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider delivering courses in subjects such as health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, food safety, mental health, health and social care, safeguarding and more.

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services.

Their courses include Understanding Mental Health, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Anxiety Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness.

A trainer from FRT says:

“Children have faced isolation, loneliness, academic upheaval, bereavement, money worries and other difficulties since the pandemic, and, on top of this, when they do come forward with concerns about their mental health they may have to wait a long time for the specialist support they need.

“It’s therefore vitally important that anyone who works closely with children and young people has an understanding of mental health, is able to spot the signs that someone may be struggling and can offer appropriate early help and support. Focused training can help with this.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Parents have lost faith in child mental health care

An investigation carried out by the BBC has found that parents and headteachers have lost faith in the mental health care system for children and young people as they face “agonisingly” long waits for treatment.

After examining data from half of England’s services, investigators found that 1 in 5 children seen for mental health problems during the past year waited over 12 weeks.

Doctors have even reported that “distressed and agitated” children who have been struggling during the pandemic are ending up in emergency departments and are being admitted on to general wards, even though they lack specialist mental health support.

Dr Catherine Hayhurst, from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, told the BBC that it had become “difficult to manage on the wards.”

NHS England said there was “no doubt that the pandemic has turned children and young people’s lives upside down,” and that it was in the process of significantly expanding access to mental health services in order to help them.

Children face long waits for mental health support

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) saw 420,000 children and young people during 2020-21. However, an estimated 1.5 million under-18s are thought to have a mental health disorder.

The waits faced by children accessing these specialist services are not routinely published but data obtained by the BBC from 46 services through a Freedom of Information Request (FOIR) showed that half of those seen waited longer than four weeks. A fifth of referred children waited more than 12 weeks, and the average wait for services was more than two months. Shockingly, in some areas, waiting times even topped 8 months.

A third of the Trusts provided data on children and young people who were still waiting for specialist mental health support. The numbers have doubled since the first lockdown ended in June 2020.

The overall figures do suggest that there has been an improvement in waiting times since before the pandemic took hold, but this could be due to a reduction in people coming forward for help during the first national lockdown in 2020.

The BBC also reports that some of the services closed their waiting lists altogether during lockdown, meaning that the full extent of the waits could be undercounted.

Children’s mental health services ‘overwhelmed’

Now one headteacher says the long waits have caused her to lose faith with child mental health services.

Michelle Catterson runs Moon Hall School in Surrey, which teaches children aged 7 to 16 who have dyslexia. She says the pandemic has been “really difficult” for children and that the support they so desperately need is often missing.

She explained: “Services are completely overwhelmed as things stand currently.

“When I have parents that are in a really desperate situation, I’m often reluctant to refer them because I know the length of time that they’ll have to wait, and sometimes there just isn’t that opportunity to wait.

“You need that support right there, right then, to try and help the child and the family.”

Meanwhile, Emma Thomas, the Chief Executive of national youth mental health charity YoungMinds, said: “We have seen a big rise in referrals to mental health services and, as this data shows, it’s clear they have been struggling to cope. The pandemic has had a huge impact on young people’s mental health, exacerbating existing pressures and creating new ones.

“The young people we work with have told us that they have struggled with isolation, loneliness and concerns about the future, while those that experienced trauma during the lockdowns, or were already experiencing inequalities, are likely to be disproportionately affected.”

NHS England says that, by 2023, services will be able to support an additional 345,000 children and young people struggling with their mental health.

Plans also include the rollout of school mental health teams in order to provide earlier support to children than CAMHS services.

Children at risk while waiting for mental health care

The report by the BBC comes after Youth Mental Health Day, established by charity Stem4, which focussed this year on helping young people #StrideForward with their mental health and wellbeing in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Stem4 Teachers Survey 2020 suggested that more than half (54%) of teachers felt their students’ mental health had suffered negatively as a result of the pandemic.

Despite this, less than a third of 5–19-year-olds with a mental health condition were receiving access to care and treatment on the NHS, and 73% of teachers said the pandemic had impacted their school or college’s ability to deliver on its own mental health strategy for pupils.

More than half of the teachers questioned (57%) said they feared students with mental health problems would come to harm while waiting for treatment.

Youth mental health training and support

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider delivering courses in subjects such as health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care, safeguarding and more.

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services.

Their courses include Understanding Mental Health, Youth Mental Health First Aid and Self-Harm Awareness.

A trainer from FRT says:

“Children have faced isolation, loneliness, academic upheaval, bereavement and other difficulties over the past year, and, on top of this, when they do come forward with concerns about their mental health they may have to wait a long time for the specialist support they need.

“It’s therefore vitally important that anyone who works closely with children and young people has an understanding of mental health, is able to spot the signs that someone may be struggling and can offer appropriate early help and support. Focused training can help with this.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

It’s Youth Mental Health Day

Today (7^th September) marks Youth Mental Health Day 2021, with the theme for this year focussing on how young people can #StrideForward with their mental health and wellbeing in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Youth mental health problems are on the rise Established by leading youth mental health charity Stem4, the awareness day aims to encourage understanding and discussion of mental health in young people.

Stem4, which supports young people to build positive mental health, founded Youth Mental Health Day (YMHD) in the UK last year. They say that, even before the pandemic, 1 in 6 young people aged 5-16 were living with a mental health disorder.

Following recent challenging times, with national lockdowns, school closures and cancelled exams, it is believed that this figure will have risen.

Teachers fear for students’ mental health

Teachers are concerned about youth mental health The Stem4 Teachers Survey 2020 suggested that more than half (54%) of teachers felt their students’ mental health had suffered negatively as a result of the pandemic.

They reported that students were struggling with isolation and loneliness (68%), family difficulties (41%), anxieties around adjusting back to school and academic concerns (47%), friendship breakdowns (33.5%) and food poverty (33%).

Meanwhile, more than 7 in 10 teachers (73%) said the pandemic had impacted their school or college’s ability to deliver on its mental health strategy, leaving many students without the support they need.

Stem4 also revealed that less than 1 in 3 5–19-year-olds with a mental health condition actually get access to care and treatment on the NHS.

As a consequence of this gap in support, teachers were spending an average of 3.6 hours per week dealing with the mental health difficulties of their students. More than half (57%) said they feared students at their school with mental health problems would come to harm while waiting for treatment.

Urgent action needed for youth mental health

Dr Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, founder of stem 4, and creator of apps Calm Harm and Clear Fear, said of the findings:

“[…] Since the start of the pandemic, stem4 has closely monitored daily downloads of our mental health apps: Calm Harm, which helps manage the urge to self-harm, and Clear Fear, which helps manage the symptoms of anxiety. What we see is mental health distress on an unprecedented scale, often as a direct consequence of policy decisions, without the needed interventions in place to minimise their negative effect.

“If this government is serious about turning the tide of mental ill health in this young generation, it needs to keep promises made, act decisively by ring-fencing funds for mental health treatment and take urgent action now. […]”

She added:

“stem4’s research clearly shows that schools and colleges are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic on two fronts: physical and psychological. The time for action is now and what children and young people need is access to evidence based services at all levels, from early prevention through to expert NHS help.”

Bringing young voices to the fore

Youth Mental Health Day will put young voices front and centre Stem4 says that YMHD helps to engage young people in discussions and activities about how to improve their mental and that it “goes beyond awareness and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, into tackling the heart of the issue.”

The #StrideForward theme for YMHD 2021 was chosen after the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in numerous decisions being made on behalf of young people, without their input.

The charity says that the day will “place young voices front and centre of the conversation once more,” with young people from across the country invited to reflect on how the pandemic has impacted their lives and share how they intend to #StrideForward and build positive mental health.

Adults must make a commitment to young people

Youth Mental Health Day is intended to get adults across the UK to listen to young people and commit to help rebuild their mental health.

Stem4 provides resources on their website to help schools, sports groups, youth or community groups and workplaces get involved in a #StrideForward activity or event for YMHD 2021.

You can also join in the conversation on social media and share how you will #StrideForward in supporting positive youth mental health, using the campaign hashtag.

Youth mental health training and support

Training and support in youth mental health First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider delivering courses in subjects such as health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care, safeguarding and more.

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services.

Their courses include Understanding Mental Health, Youth Mental Health First Aid and Self-Harm Awareness.

A trainer from FRT says:

“We’ve seen countless research studies clearly demonstrating that instances of stress, depression and anxiety have risen during the Covid-19 pandemic, and this includes among children and young people.

“Research also suggests that more young people are expressing their mental health struggles through self-harming behaviours, at a time when they have been faced with isolation, loneliness, academic upheaval and other difficulties. This is extremely worrying.

“It’s vitally important that anyone who works closely with children and young people has an understanding of mental health, is able to spot the signs that someone may be struggling and can offer appropriate support. Focused training can help with this.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Childline supports young people with sexuality and gender identity

During Pride Month, Childline has voiced its support for children and young people struggling with their gender identity or sexuality.

The national charity helpline says that, over the past year, it has seen a 29% increase in the number of young people contacting them to talk about concerns relating to coming out.

The helpline says that the challenging year faced by all of us has seen many young people cut off from their usual support networks and has also resulted in others feeling worried about returning to school.

Concerns from young people

Between April 2020 and March of this year, the helpline conducted a total of 5,046 counselling sessions with young people about gender identity and sexuality.

Young people contact childline over concerns about their sexuality In over half of these (2,638), the young person cited coming out as a concern, with some also revealing that they worried about the reaction they would receive from other people.

Many young people (1,467) speaking about their gender identity and sexuality also cited their mental and emotional health as an additional concern, and other related concerns included family relationships, school, friendship issues and self-harm.

For some, lockdown had exacerbated these concerns while, for others, it had provided time for reflection or an opportunity to come out to friends and family.

All children should be listened to

The Service Head of Childline, Alex Gray, explained:

“At Childline, we know that coming out or speaking about sexuality and gender identity can sometimes be really challenging

“Some children with sexuality and gender concerns revealed that lockdown had been particularly hard for them, as they’d been cut off from their usual support networks. Whereas others told Childline that lockdown had given them the confidence and freedom to come out to their friends and family. However, some worried they may have lost this confidence when returning to school.

“No matter what a young person’s experience is with coming out or speaking about their gender identity, at Childline we believe every young person has a right to be listened to and to be able to speak about any worries or questions they may have about their gender identity and sexuality without feeling judged.

“If a young person feels unable to speak to a trusted adult in their life, then we would encourage them to speak to Childline.”

Offering support

sexuality and gender identity They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services. Their courses include Understanding Mental Health, Youth Mental Health First Aid and Self-Harm Awareness.

A trainer from FRT says: “If a young person is struggling with their sexuality or gender identity, or is worried about coming out, including how they may be treated and the impact it may have on their closest relationships, this can significantly impact their mental health and wellbeing.

“It’s important that anyone who works closely with children and young people has an understanding of mental health, is able to spot the signs that someone may be struggling and can offer appropriate support. Focused training can help with this.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Childline counsels 90,000 children during pandemic

The NSPCC’s confidential helpline, Childline, delivered nearly 90,000 counselling sessions for young people worried about mental health or abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The national children’s charity said they had grown increasingly concerned about the “huge toll” the pandemic has had on young people.

Data from Childline for the period 1^st April 2020 until 31^st March 2021 reveals:

The service has conducted over 73,000 counselling sessions about mental or emotional health
5,646 of those counselling sessions were held with children aged 11 or under, which represents an increase of almost a third (29%) from the previous year
The service also delivered 16,610 counselling sessions about abuse
Counselling sessions about emotional abuse increased by almost a fifth (18%) compared to the previous year

The charity also revealed that more children and young people have been accessing their Childline resources, information and tools online, showing they have been taking proactive steps to support their own emotional and mental wellbeing during this challenging time.

The NSPCC is now calling for the government to invest in a plan for children which is not limited to ensuring that they catch up on school work, and instead extends to providing mental health support in the classroom and the community.

They are also hosting ‘Childhood Day’ on 11^th June where they’re encouraging people to celebrate childhood by organising a play event to raise money and help keep children safe.

Dame Esther Rantzen, the founder of Childline, said: “Throughout this pandemic, children and young people have had to deal with so many difficult new challenges, many knowing that their families were struggling with health worries and financial issues, some locked down in unsafe homes, deprived of their schools which may have been their only refuge. Many have told Childline that they have struggled to cope and their mental health has suffered as a result.

“Childline’s counsellors have been tremendously impressed by the resilience of so many young people during the pandemic, supporting themselves and each other. Nevertheless, we are all only too aware that not only education has suffered, but so has the opportunity to play. My grandchildren have told me how much they have missed their friends during lockdown. Play is such an important part of childhood, building confidence and creating relationships. After the year we’ve had, I am really looking forward to joining my own family on Childhood Day. I do hope as many families as possible will be able to do the same, to enjoy each other’s company and have fun and play together.

“I want to remind children everywhere that Childline is always there for them, no matter how big or small their problem, offering comfort and support which is free, confidential, on the phone or online.”

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services. Their courses include Safeguarding Children.

A trainer from FRT says: “Children and young people have missed out on so much during the past year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, while many vulnerable children have been in unsafe situations with little support or anyone able to notice and help.

“The pandemic has clearly taken a serious toll on youth mental health and it’s important that support for them is prioritised in our communities.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Survey reveals impact of coronavirus on UK children

A new survey capturing the experiences of children and young people during the pandemic has revealed many have faced mental health challenges over the past year.

Conducted by Survation for Newsround, the survey asked over 2,000 6–16-year-olds from all across the UK about their experiences during 2020-21, questioning them about a range of issues, from remote learning to what is most important to them and who their role models are.

Newsround found that almost half of children surveyed felt “worse than usual” during lockdown.

When asked how they have felt over the last 12 months, 24% of children said they felt better, while 25% said they felt the same as usual. But for 49% the experience was less positive.

This rose to more than half when focusing on girls (51%) or older children (53%) specifically.

Almost 6 in 10 (57%) of the young people surveyed also said they felt they had done less exercise than normal during the pandemic and resulting local and national lockdowns in the UK.

Newsround says these findings reflect the concerns of many parents, charities and politicians who have said that missing school and not being able to see their friends has taken a significant toll on the mental health and wellbeing of young people.

Family comes first

The vast majority (98%) of young people said that seeing family and friends was important to them, with 7 in 10 girls classing it as “very important”.

More than 9 in 10 (93%) also said that health was important to them, while two thirds said that money was important with three-quarters of 13–16-year-olds confirming this.

When asked to rank the top three issues that were of most importance to them, the answers most likely to feature in childrens’ top three were:

Family health (64%)
Coronavirus (59%)
Exams / school work (57%)
Having enough money (45%)

Family also topped the list of figures that young people most looked up to.

Newsround revealed that nearly 3 in 5 respondents (57%) named their own family members as their number one role model. And, when presented with a list of potential role models to choose from, children were most likely to select the following in their top 3:

Family members (85%)
Doctors (50%)
Celebrities (37%)
Nurses (31%)

Missed time with loved ones

When it came to identifying what they had found hardest during the pandemic, more than 9 in 10 young people said they had struggled with missing out on time with friends and extended family members.

Around 1 in 4 children did say they had seen their friends more or the same amount as usual, but 82% said they’d seen their friends less than usual as a result of lockdowns, travel restrictions and a lack of school and activity clubs.

While children were unable to get out and see others, they often also found that home was a more strained place to be. Just under half (46%) said their family had been more stressed than usual during the past year.

Remote learning struggles

Around 13% of children said they had spent some time in school but the vast majority (87%) had been learning remotely during lockdown.

Almost 1 in 4 children (23%) were happy about this, and almost a third (30%) didn’t mind either way, but 45% admitted that they were not happy about being away from school.

The survey also showed that children had very different experiences of remote learning. A third said it had been better than usual, while 16% judged it to be about the same. But half said that home schooling was worse than being in school, with girls (52%) and younger children (53%) most likely to be disappointed by their learning experience this year.

There were variances across the country, too, with 38% of London school pupils saying that remote learning was better than being in school in person, compared to 27% of pupils in Scotland.

Some children struggled due to a lack of technical equipment. More than a quarter of children responding to the survey (28%) said they did not have a device to themselves. Some children did not have a device at all (1%) while others had to share it with one or more people (27%).

Despite government schemes in all four nations of the UK to bridge the ‘digital divide’ and provide laptops and tablets to families who needed them, the survey results show that some people still struggled.

In fact, the Learning Foundation education charity has estimated that one million children and young people did not have sufficient access to devices or internet at home.

Catching up on lost time

This may have left some children trailing behind. While more than half (51%) said they felt they were where they should be in their studies, around a quarter (28%) of children said they felt they were behind.

The government are exploring options to help pupils catch up on their school work.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wants to provide children with the “opportunities they deserve to learn and fulfil their potential,” though exact plans are still unclear.

He has also pledged £79 million to improve mental health support for children and young people, both in schools and within the community.

In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has promised money for additional teachers and school staff and says she wants to ensure that “the impact of lockdown on our young peopled doesn’t turn into a long-term impact they are saddled with for the rest of their lives.”

Her devolved government has announced an extra £139 million to support mental health in both children and adults following the pandemic.

Extra funding has been announced for schools in Northern Ireland, including for activities this summer, while in Wales the government has pledged that its recovery plans will aim to “meet the needs of learners who have been most affected by this period.”

Children need our support

Many school leaders have warned that there is a long way to go to ensure that the most disadvantaged children receive the support they need, while experts also caution that it is important not to overwhelm students.

The Children’s Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, commented:

“It’s really important that we now listen to what children have to say about their experiences over the last year.”

She pledged to make sure the government is “doing everything it can to help children feel happier and positive about the future.”

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services. Their courses include Safeguarding Children, Understanding Mental Health and Anxiety Awareness.

They can also provide accredited trainers to deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid training, certificated by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England.

A trainer from FRT says: “There are many hidden victims of the pandemic, and it is saddening that measures introduced to keep the nation safe and healthy may have contributed to children experiencing a more difficult time.

“It’s so important that children receive the help and support they need.

“Anyone who works with children and young people should complete appropriate mental health training so that they can spot the early warning signs of depression, anxiety and other mental health problems as we begin to find our way out of this pandemic and out of lockdowns.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Vulnerable children must be put ‘centre stage’ post-Covid

The Children’s Commissioner for England has called on the government to put vulnerable children “centre stage” in forthcoming plans to “build back better” after the Covid-19 pandemic.

In her final speech after six years in the role, Anne Longfield said that plans to “level up” the nation must start with its most vulnerable children and young people.

She said it was a “terrible thing” that the lives of the most vulnerable children would have only gotten worse during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK.

Her words follow warnings that children may be “losing all hope for their future” and as recent surveys suggest that the mental health of young people across the nation is declining.

A government spokesperson said that protecting vulnerable children was central to their response, explaining: “That’s why we have enabled the most vulnerable children to continue attending school in person, while providing laptops, devices and data packages to those learning at home and ensuring the most disadvantaged children are fed and warm.”

In her departing address, Ms. Longfield welcomed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s commitment to putting schools at the heart of reopening society when the latest lockdown eases.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said:

“There have been points during the year where I was dismayed when schools stayed shut and shops and pubs opened but the prime minister’s come behind what we were pushing for which was for the schools to be the last to close and the first to open.”

However, she estimated that around £10 billion would be needed for children’s mental health support and help for school pupils to catch up on learning.

She also questioned whether there were sufficient “structures in government around him” to enable the Prime Minister to “build back better” for children.

Responding to Ms. Longfield’s speech on Twitter, one Tory MP said the Covid-19 pandemic had “laid bare the damning truth about our educational divide.”

Robert Halfon, the Chairman of the Education Select Committee, urged ministers to focus on the “complex challenges that exist in some children’s lives,” adding that enforced school closures during the pandemic could reverse any progress that has been achieved since 2011.

Warning that an entire generation of young people risks being defined by the coronavirus crisis and that some children may “never catch up,” Ms. Longfield said she was laying down a “challenge to government and all political parties.”

She said the pandemic did present “an opportunity to reflect and rebuild.”

A research group has estimated that children may be facing up to £350 billion in lost earnings as a result of school closures, but the Treasury has so far committed just £1.5 billion to a pupil catch-up fund for England.

Ms. Longfield pointed to this as a sign of the “institutional bias against children.”

She said promises to “level up” the country would remain “just a slogan” unless children are placed at the heart of the effort and called for a new “Covid Covenant” of education and wellbeing support in every community. She also said that school holidays should be used to catch children up with lost lessons.

Ms. Longfield also spoke of how a fifth of children in England leave school or college without basic qualifications, branding it a “national scandal”, and touched upon children who are exploited by gangs and failed by adults who “simply don’t see them.”

A spokesperson for the government said they had long-term catch-up plans that would combine with an investment of more than £1 billion to “ensure we make up for lost time in education over the course of this Parliament.”

They added:

“Anne Longfield has been a tireless advocate for children, and we’re grateful for her dedication and her challenge on areas where we can continue raising the bar for the most vulnerable.”

Ms. Longfield will be succeeded in as Children’s Commissioner in March by Dame Rachel de Souza, a former Chief Executive of a multi-academy trust.

They can also provide accredited trainers to deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid training, certificated by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England.

A trainer from FRT says: “There are many indirect victims of the pandemic, and it is saddening that measures introduced to keep the nation safe and healthy may have contributed to vulnerable children experiencing a decline in mental health, as well as increasing levels of deprivation and other dangers and challenges.

“It’s so important that this issue is being discussed and that all children receive the help and support they need when this is all over to catch up on lost learning and return to a state of wellbeing.

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Duchess puts spotlight on parental mental health

The Duchess of Cambridge has urged parents to look after their mental health during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a special video message recorded to mark Children’s Mental Health Week, Kate said she knew many parents found it hard to prioritise their own wellbeing, but that it was important “to be the very best versions of ourselves for the children in our care.”

Children’s Mental Health Week was first launched in 2015 by children’s mental health charity Place2Be, of which the Duchess is patron.

Kate has always supported the annual initiative to highlight the importance of children and young people’s mental health, and she filmed the self-video, which was released on Sunday 31^st January, to discuss the theme for this year – which is ‘expressing yourself’.

She explained that it was “about finding creative ways in which to share your thoughts, ideas and feelings.”

Kate added: “So whether that’s through photography, through art, through drama, through music or poetry – it’s finding those things that make you feel good about yourself.”

She then moved on to highlight parental mental health issues.

The Duchess said: “And while this is Children’s Mental Health Week there has never been a more important time to talk about parental wellbeing and mental health too.

“Last year you told me just how important this was, that many of us find it hard to prioritise. This is a hugely challenging time for us all so please look after yourself too.

“Find those ways in which to share your thoughts and your feelings or find someone to talk to because we really do need to be the very best versions of ourselves for the children in our care.”

In 2020, the Duchess released the findings of her landmark study on the early years development of children.

It revealed that, while 9 out of 10 respondents agreed that maintaining parental mental health was crucial to supporting the health and happiness of their children, in practice the majority of parents struggled to prioritise their own wellbeing.

Kate recently held a video call with parents where she admitted that parenting during lockdown has left her feeling “exhausted.”

Children’s Mental Health Week runs from 1^st-7^th February. To kick it off, Place2Be have teamed up with Oak National Academy and Bafta Kids to create a free online assembly celebrating the theme for this year – “Express Yourself.”

The free event starts at 9am on Monday 1^st February and will feature a number of famous faces, including Blue Peter’s Lindsey Russell and CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson.

Last year, the NSPCC and a coalition of early years charities launched the Fight for a Fair Start campaign. They urged the government to rebuild health visiting services for children and families, after Covid-19 led to restrictions to the service, meaning many families were cut off from support.

Research shows that 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers experience mental health problems during and after pregnancy. There are concerns that these figures could rise sharply following the pandemic.

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider delivering a wide and diverse range of training courses.

They can provide training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, safeguarding, mental health, health and social care and other specialist subjects.

FRT work with hundreds of early years services, schools and other childcare and support groups across the UK, providing them with high quality training to meet EYFS and Ofsted guidelines.

Their training courses for early years include Paediatric First Aid, Risk Assessment for Child Carers and Safeguarding Children.

They also deliver a number of courses specialising in mental health, such as Understanding Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace, Managing Stress, Anxiety Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness.

They can also provide externally accredited trainers to deliver Mental Health First Aid England training courses, including Adult, Youth, Champion and Lite versions.

A trainer from FRT says: “It’s important that parents, babies and children have appropriate support to protect their mental health and wellbeing during these challenging times to ensure that every child gets the best start possible.”

For more information about the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Childline raises concerns over mental health of children

Childline has raised concerns about the mental health of children and young people after delivering over 50,000 counselling sessions since the first peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Training can help raise awareness of anxiety The NSPCC’s confidential charity helpline delivered 54,926 counselling sessions to children and young people between April and December 2020.

This represents a 16% increase in the average number of mental health counselling sessions delivered to children aged 11 and under and a 10% increase in counselling sessions about loneliness across all age groups.

Childline has called for more volunteers to join the helpline and help to support children and young people as the pandemic continues.

It reports that children contacting its service frequently talked about experiencing loneliness, low mood and self-esteem, depression and anxiety, signifying the devastating impact the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdowns has had on the mental health of young people.

Some children spoke of feeling isolated or overwhelmed due to fears about family members contracting the virus, school closures or cancelled exams.

Others said they felt cut off from their support networks and were missing family and friends.

Dame Esther Rantzen, who founded the helpline and is its president, said it was “absolutely imperative” that Childline is available for children who need it.

She commented: “Many young people, especially those in unsafe homes, are feeling desperately anxious and depressed. School can be the only safe haven they know, and without that support they feel entirely alone. For them, Childline is literally a life-line.

“But the service urgently needs more volunteers to listen to and support children, and more funds to pay for their calls and online contacts, and for that we depend upon the generosity and compassion of the public. It is the NSPCC’s mission to make 2021 a better year for children, and with your help we can make this dream a reality.”

You can learn about ways to help Childline and the NSPCC on their website.

They can also provide accredited trainers to deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid training, certificated by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England.

“It’s so important that this issue is being discussed and that these children receive the help and support they need.

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Ofsted warns of ‘invisibility of vulnerable children’ in lockdown

Ofsted have warned that vulnerable children at risk of harm have “slipped out of sight” during the national coronavirus lockdown.

England’s Chief Inspector of Schools, Amanda Spielman, has warned that, when schools were closed during the first national lockdown, children may have missed out on the help they needed due to teachers being unable to spot the early warning signs of abuse or neglect.

As she launched her annual report, Ms Spielman said the “invisibility of vulnerable children” during the Covid-19 crisis should be a “matter of national concern.”

The first lockdown saw schools remain open only for the children of key workers and vulnerable children, but many eligible families did not send their children to school. The Ofsted chief says that this, coupled with a lack of access for health visitors, had a “dramatic impact”, with a reduction in concerns over neglect or abuse being referred to local authorities.

In fact, the Local Government Association has revealed that referrals to children’s social care teams fell by around a fifth, to 41,000 cases between April and June. This resulted in around 1,600 children being looked after, which is a third below previous years.

Ms Spielman said that identifying those vulnerable children who were overlooked during the pandemic was now a priority, and called for “urgent” coordinated action.

Published today (1st December 2020), her report also raises wider concerns about the mental health and wellbeing of pupils who have faced isolation, anxiety, loneliness or bereavement during the pandemic.

It also highlights the pressures placed on families of children with special educational needs, many of whom are reportedly “struggling to cope.” These “hidden victims” of the pandemic missed out on support services and specialist activities, while those who were shielding also missed out on time in school.

Ms Spielman said:

“Covid-19 has exposed an already crumbling infrastructure that fails to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children all too often.”

Although Ofsted suspended its regular inspections during the pandemic, the report notes that the disruption to lessons has resulted in many pupils slipping back and warns that the attainment gap between rich and poor children will widen.

The education watchdog said that the quality of online learning for pupils during the lockdown was “variable,” as some lacked access to technology and others lacked the motivation to learn at home.

Apprenticeships were found to be the “least effective” education providers during this challenging time, and two thirds of apprentices had either been furloughed, made redundant or had their off-the-job training suspended.

Paul Whiteman from the National Association of Head Teachers said that school leaders shared Ofsted’s concerns about vulnerable children during the pandemic but that budgets for child support services had been “slashed” in recent years.

He said schools were under great pressure and asked Ofsted not to resume their regular school inspection regime in the New Year.

Meanwhile, the head of the Association of School and College Leavers (ASCL), Geoff Barton, said the report highlighted “an important issue” and added: “Schools worked very hard to reach out to families with vulnerable children and bring these pupils into the emergency provision in schools during the first national lockdown.

“Schools have been highly focused on addressing any problems with the wellbeing of students since full reopening in September, and they are very relieved to have vulnerable pupils back in school where they can make sure they have the support they need.”

A spokesperson from the Department for Education commented: “The safety and well-being of the most vulnerable children has always been our focus, which is why we kept nurseries, schools and colleges open for those children throughout the pandemic.

“It remains a national priority to keep full-time education open for all.”

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services. Their courses include Safeguarding Children.

“It’s so important that this issue is being discussed and that action is being taken to ensure that these children do not continue to fall through the cracks.

“It’s vital that anyone who works with children and young people completes Safeguarding training so that they are aware of the signs of abuse and neglect and know the correct action to take if they suspect a child is at risk.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Children more likely to catch Covid in second wave

Children are now more likely than adults to be infected with Covid-19 and bring the infection into a household, it has been revealed.

The government’s scientific advisors say that the number of school-age children with coronavirus has risen “significantly” during the second wave compared with the first, and that people living with secondary-school-age children are 8% more likely to catch Covid-19.

The exact role that children as a whole play in transmitting the virus is still unclear, however.

Families with children are not at higher risk of suffering a severe illness, and the data does show that young people in general are at very low risk of becoming seriously ill themselves, while evidence suggests that younger children are less likely to even contract Covid-19.

For older children, however, the picture is much less clear.

A review presented to government and published on 13^th November reveals growing evidence that older children can both contract and transmit Covid-19 at similar rates to adults.

It shows that, from around the time schools reopened in September, a growing number of children have been testing positive for the virus, although the paper stated that the extent to which transmission was occurring in schools was “unproven and difficult to establish.”

This is because contacts within schools could not be separated from contacts around school, including travelling to and from and socialising afterwards.

In addition, two major surveillance studies carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Imperial College London show that infections among young people aged 16-24 were increasing in September.

By October, increases could be observed throughout the 2-24-year-old age bracket.

Scientists advise, however, that data suggests that infection rates were rising in the wider population before schools returned.

The government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) had previously acknowledged that reopening schools would be likely to increase transmission of the virus and that trade-offs would have to be made with restrictions in order to allow schools to remain open.

The paper published this month highlighted the “significant educational, developmental and mental health harms” posed if schools were to close.

The fact remains, however, that school-age children and young adults have experienced a much faster rise in infections than other age groups during the second wave.

Professor Mark Woolhouse from the University of Edinburgh said this was “not surprising given that schools are operating much closer to normality than most other parts of society.”

ONS data also reveals that teachers are not more likely to test positive for Covid-19 than other workers.

Dr Sarah Lewis, an epidemiologist from the University of Bristol commented that this fact was “reassuring” and that it suggested “the measures in place to reduce transmission is schools are working.”

The National Education Union (NEU) said it was concerned, however, to learn “that children aged 12-16 played a significantly higher role in introducing infection into households in the period after schools reopened their doors to all students.”

They said this could be due to issues such as “the difficulty of social distancing, the absence of face masks inside classrooms, the problems of ventilation, the size of ‘bubbles’ and the cross mixing on school transport, as well as of secondary pupils mixing outside school.”

They work with a large number of early years and childcare providers, as well as schools, colleges, and children’s services. Their courses include Health and Safety, Paediatric First Aid and Safeguarding Children.

A trainer from FRT says: “These are challenging and concerning times for all of us, as we prepare to come out of a second national lockdown during which schools remained open while other parts of society effectively shut down.

“It is clear that being at school is crucial for children’s health, wellbeing and development and that so much has already been missed this year. If infection rates are rising among children, it is reassuring to see that they are unlikely to fall seriously ill as a result of the virus and that teachers do not seem to be at greater risk.

“It remains vital for all of us to follow the guidelines and ensure that we are taking sensible precautionary measures, such as regularly washing our hands, covering our faces and maintaining 2 metre social distance where possible.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.