Nursery World - Parents concerned about the lack of mental health support for children

More than 70 per cent of parents don’t think there is enough mental health support available for children, reveals a poll that highlights their concerns about the impact of the pandemic and rising living costs on their child.

The findings from the poll commissioned by Comic Relief for Red Nose Day highlight parents' concerns about their children's mental health

Findings from a poll of 2,022 UK parents, released by Comic Relief for Red Nose Day (18 March), reveals over half (54 per cent) of parents are worried about how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted their child’s mental health, while 71 per cent think there isn’t enough mental health support available for children.

A further 60 per cent of parents surveyed said they are worried about how the rising costs of living may impact their and their child’s mental health.

It comes after recent statistics from the NHS revealed a 77 per cent increase in the number of children needing specialist mental health treatment between April and October 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. The figures come from NHS Digital referrals data analysed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists for the BBC (February).

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