Latest news with #youngpeople
The Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- The Guardian
One in four young people in England have mental health condition, NHS survey finds
Sharp rises in rates of anxiety, depression and other disorders have led to one in four young people in England having a common mental health condition, an NHS survey shows, with young women three times more likely than men to report them. The study found that rates of such conditions in 16- to 24-year-olds have risen by more than a third in a decade, from 18.9% in 2014 to 25.8% in 2024. Results from the adult psychiatric morbidity survey showed that reports of common mental health conditions – a term that also includes panic disorder, phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder – occurred almost three times as often in young women (36.1%) as young men (13.5%). Sally McManus, one of the lead researchers on the survey, said the figures reflect many global trends disproportionately affecting young people. 'Young people are growing up worried about many aspects of their lives, from insecure employment and housing through to Covid and climate change. Young people may have been one of the one groups whose mental health was most affected by Covid,' she said. The study also found sharp increases in overall prevalence of mental ill health, suicidal thoughts and self-harm across age groups: More than a fifth (22.6%) of adults aged 16 to 64 have a common mental health condition, up from 18.9% in 2014. More than one in four adults (25.2%) reported having had suicidal thoughts during their lifetime, including about a third of 16- 24-year-olds (31.5%) and 25- to 34-year-olds (32.9%). Self-harm rates have quadrupled since 2000 and risen from 6.4% in 2014 to 10.3% in 2024, with the highest rates among 16- to 24-year-olds at 24.6%, especially young women at 31.7%. McManus said: 'That upward trend is pretty much evident across the board. It's just that we do see, by far and away, the highest rates [of self-harm and suicidal ideation] in young women.' There was no evidence of over-reporting of mental health conditions, she added. 'I don't see this as reflecting over-identification or over-reporting, although there is greater awareness and less stigma. There's no evidence from our data to indicate over-reporting, but in the past there may well have been under-reporting.' More people with mental ill health are getting treatment, the study also shows, with nearly half (47%) of 16- to 74-year-olds having therapy or medication for anxiety, depression, panic disorder, phobias or OCD, up from previous surveys. But most people who experience gambling harms have never received gambling-specific treatment or support, the survey found. And overall, more than half of people with common mental health conditions are not getting the help they need, experts said. Marjorie Wallace, the chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, said: 'This report exposes the huge scale of need facing a system that is already in breakdown, particularly involving the services available to young people.' Dr Sarah Hughes, the chief executive of Mind, said: 'The nation's mental health is deteriorating and our current system is overwhelmed, underfunded and unequal to the scale of the challenge. After the trauma of the pandemic, the relentless cost of living crisis and persistent racial inequalities, it is no surprise that mental health has suffered – especially for the young. But it is unacceptable that services still aren't meeting people's needs.' Claire Murdoch, NHS England's national director for mental health, said: 'Being in poor mental health not only affects people's personal lives but can have a huge impact on employment and physical health. I'm pleased to see that the expansion and digital transformation of our services is supporting more people, with services like NHS talking therapies – which you can now self-refer to and be seen online – helping people access support to do the everyday things others may take for granted. 'We know more needs to be done to increase access to care and we are working closely with the government on the upcoming 10-year health plan to create better mental health services for patients and reach more people, as part of the wider social shift we need to see in how we tackle mental health.' Dr Lade Smith, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: 'Now more than ever, we need urgent and sustained investment in the mental health workforce and infrastructure. The rising demand is clear. We must match it with a system that is given the required resources to respond with compassion, speed and fairness.'
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Blanket bans on smartphones are not the answer
Smartphones and social media are recurring features in the ongoing debates on declining mental health among young people. Earlier this month, the Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study reported nearly half of young people 'feel low' at least weekly . Invariably, any discussion on young people's mental health moves quickly to smartphones and social media, and the conclusion that the digital lives of young people are linked to a decline in their happiness. But we may be too quick to jump to conclusions on this. In truth, the evidence is limited. Links between the digital lives of children and adolescents and their mental wellbeing are often based on correlative data with few longitudinal or experimental studies. Studies don't always clearly separate how different types of smartphone or social media use affect young people, and they often don't distinguish between using a phone for learning versus mindlessly scrolling. There are likely positive and negative aspects to online activities, but sweeping conclusions and reactionary policies ignore this important nuance. A lot of the commentary around smartphone use in young people frames it as a post-pandemic problem, with increased screen time and online distractions seen as linked to lockdown-induced dependency. But this ignores digital educational policies established well before the pandemic, which encouraged the use of student-owned devices, particularly to support classroom learning. READ MORE Policy guidance laid important groundwork for the informal incorporation of smartphones into educational settings, particularly in schools where resources are tight and there isn't always access to 1:1 laptop or tablet schemes. Implementation often relied on devices students already owned – in most cases, this meant a smartphone. The increasing presence of smartphones in schools is less a byproduct of the pandemic and more a foreseeable consequence of earlier policy directions that were often reactive and technologically permissive. Media coverage of smartphone use in recent years has focused on, and often celebrated, more restrictive responses. Sweden, for example, has moved towards banning smartphones in primary classrooms, aligning with broader efforts to refocus on traditional forms of learning. Minister for Education Helen McEntee recently issued circulars requiring schools to implement a policy to restrict the use of, and access to, personal mobile phones by students for the duration of the school day at post primary level and a full ban at primary level. In 2024, the Australian government passed a new law which introduces a mandatory minimum age of 16 for accounts on some social media platforms. Controversially, parents cannot give their consent to under-16s to use these platforms, marking a new departure in terms of parents' rights. At a surface level, such actions offer clear, decisive action in the face of complex technological challenges, and resonate with public anxieties about youth wellbeing. But they're fraught with practical, human rights and ethical implications. Age verification systems can be circumvented and bans also risk pushing young users on to less-regulated platforms or creating generational disconnects in digital literacy. Blanket bans on smartphones, social media access and other digital activities overlook both the complexity of the issues and the realities of young people's lives. Restrictive policies and a one-size-fits-all approach may inadvertently exacerbate inequalities. Mobile devices and social media can serve as essential tools for safety, communication and family co-ordination, especially for older adolescents needing greater independence. Digital tools such as the language-learning app Duolingo, interactive Stem app Brilliant and online chess have opened up access to educational and enrichment opportunities that were once limited to wealthier families. These tools can give children from lower-income households a chance to learn languages, engage in advanced problem-solving, and develop critical-thinking skills. While regulatory efforts may form part of a broader digital policy toolkit, bans alone are a blunt instrument and probably ineffective. They do little to address the underlying needs that drive youth engagement with smartphones; the human desire for social connection, access to information and autonomy. So what can we do? A more effective response must be holistic: combining regulation with education, digital literacy and the co-creation of safe digital spaces that support both protection and participation. Collective action and voluntary agreements among parents of primary schoolchildren to delay children's access to smartphones can play an important role. The 'no smartphone' initiatives seen in parts of Ireland are a promising grassroots approach to addressing concerns around digital overexposure, cyberbullying and mental health. These agreements can help to reduce peer pressure and create a more uniform standard that benefits all children. Ideally, they should begin during primary school when habits and digital behaviours are still forming. Early implementation not only delays premature exposure to potentially harmful online environments, but also lays the groundwork for more responsible and mindful smartphone use in adolescence, supported by ongoing digital literacy education and parental involvement. Investment in education-based initiatives, such as the Webwise programme, can empower young people and their families to navigate the digital world safely. Safer Internet Day, which is held annually in more than 180 countries, presents a valuable opportunity to promote responsible online behaviour through schools and community engagement. Acceptable use policies, widely used across educational contexts, also present significant potential as instruments for guiding responsible smartphone and social media engagement among young people and advancing digital wellbeing. Of course we need to implement stronger regulations for the technology sector, including setting quality standards for children's content, controlling data extraction and algorithms and enforcing stricter privacy laws. But technology is part of contemporary life, and it is continuously evolving. Simply trying to ban it won't work. Policymakers must adopt a flexible approach that maximises its benefits while safeguarding young people from potential risks. Selina McCoy is professor in Sociology at the Economic and Social Research Institute and Ann Marcus-Quinn is associate professor in Technical Communication at the University of Limerick
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
New report reveals shocking number of Aussies sexually harassed in the workplace
More Australians are being faced with the decision between their livelihoods and their safety, with new data revealing one in three have experienced workplace sexual harassment. The Australian Human Rights Commission's (AHRC) Speaking from Experience report found a significant number of victim-survivors identified as a vulnerable person. Of the 300 workers interviewed, 47 per cent of those were young people aged between 15 to 17, 53 per cent identified as having a disability, while 44 per cent of survey respondents were from LGBTQIA+ communities. Twenty-six per cent were citizens of another country or visa holders. The findings pointed to those who had 'more to lose', or were in positions with no power, were most often targeted. 'Speaking from Experience was a groundbreaking listening and reform project,' Sex Discrimination Commissioner Dr Anna Cody said. 'It provided a full picture of how harassers target people of all identities within our community … what we learnt was that WSH is rarely only an issue of gendered power. 'WSH relates to, and intersects with, other forms of discrimination such as race, migration status, sexuality, gender identity, disability, First Nations status and age. 'These solutions to prevent workplace sexual harassment come from listening to those who have lived it,' she added. 'We heard the experiences of more than 300 Australians from diverse backgrounds, who told us what needs to change in addressing workplace sexual harassment. 'Workers shouldn't have to choose between their safety and their livelihood.' The AHRC is now calling for a number of reforms – including amending the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 to limit the use of confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements, increasing funding for specialist support services and introducing civil penalties for employers who breach their Positive Duty – to be introduced to make Australian workplaces safer. A major reform centred around accessibility, with many workers, especially those from non-English speaking backgrounds, facing barriers to information as resources were often presented in complex and legalistic language. Many respondents noted a sense of denied justice, with employer responses to WSH reports often leading to being disbelieved or harming career prospects and community relations. 'Secure work conditions, characterised by fair contracts, financial stability, and robust worker protections, are foundational to addressing WSH,' the report read. 'Safety and inclusivity go hand-in-hand.' Dr Cody said workplace sexual harassment can affect every part of life, with plenty of work still to be done in addressing, and ultimately curbing, the issue. 'While it is a final crucial step in the Commission's Respect@Work agenda, there is still plenty of work to be done … for real action, accountability, and cultural shifts for everyone to be safe and respected at work.'
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Young people in the East of England struggle to buy a first home
The government wants 1.5 million new homes to be built in England by 2029 but, with the average house in the East costing £332,000, about nine times the average salary, what chance do young people have of getting on the housing ladder?Lauren Finch, 29, told BBC Politics East a mortgage broker advised her to ask for a pay rise, get a new job or find a partner to move in with her 28-year-old sister at her parent's home in Lowestoft, Suffolk, she often finds herself house-sitting for friends as a way to get some said her £24,000 salary at a GP surgery meant she could only afford a £90,000 home and would struggle to find a property in the area where she would feel safe."I feel frustrated that I'm at this age and living at home and it is a little bit soul-destroying," she is an option she hopes to avoid: "People I know who rent, struggle to save any money for a (mortgage) deposit." Former Miss Cromer Charlotte Spendlove rents a room in a friend's house and said she received similar advice on getting on the housing ladder."They tell you you have to do x, y and z. They've said I need to get an extra job. At one time I had three jobs. But it's not a way of life," she 26-year-old believes people with second homes are driving up house prices and wants the government to look into the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it inherited a "devastating housing crisis" and was providing support for first-time buyers. Average house prices vary across the East of England, according to the Office for National Statistics:Cambridge: £521,000Colchester: £302,000Northampton: £258,000Norwich: £232,000Ipswich: £228,000The average annual rent in the East of England is approximately £15,660, based on an average monthly rent of £1,305, a 4.2% increase on the previous year. Environmentalist and archaeologist Helen Geake, a former Green councillor from Suffolk, said: "We have a surplus of homes but they are being used in the wrong way, being used for second homes, or short-term lets, or empty."Also, private rentals are a very inefficient use of a house. We have got to see more homes with owner-occupiers and socially rented."James Palmer, chair of regional business champion the Eastern Powerhouse, has called for better infrastructure to be built to support new at a BBC Politics East special at the Big Sky Living development at Cringleford, on the outskirts of Norwich, he said: "The public transport in the East is appalling."We need a long-term infrastructure plan to then deliver the homes." A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokeswoman said: "We have inherited a devastating housing crisis."As set out in our plan for change, we will build 1.5 million new homes and give working people the stability and security of a home they deserve."We're committed to supporting first-time buyers with a new permanent mortgage guarantee scheme, helping them take their first crucial step on the ladder with a small deposit." BBC Politics East will be broadcast on Sunday, 22 June at 10:00 BST on BBC One in the East of England, and will be available after broadcast on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Evacuees from Israel arrive in Cyprus and describe their experiences during Iran conflict
Young people gathered at the Limassol port in Cyprus and shared their experiences after being evacuated from Israel. (AP video by Lefteris Pitarakis)
