Children’s mental health, according to Youth.Gov, can change over time. In other words, reducing stigma and normalizing mental health challenges increases the willingness to seek treatment in the future. Much of this embarrassment is caused by the stigma that mental health is somehow less important than physical health. If your child is showing signs of anxiety or depression, call your doctor.
Today’s young people are not only struggling more than older generations, but they are also worse off compared to previous generations at the same age and are expected to face greater challenges as seniors than the current over-65s (170). Young people who rent fear that housing security and wealth are unattainable and have reported feeling anxious, depressed and stressed due to insecure, expensive and poor-quality housing, and rising rental costs have added to this precarious situation for many (167). This coincided with an increase in insecure employment, inadequacy of pay, and the casualisation of the youth labour force. The impacts of the 2008 global financial crisis on young people were substantial and included insecure employment and income (153–157). Protecting youth from bullying and its detrimental effects is crucial, necessitating safe, respectful, and inclusive school environments that do not tolerate such behaviour.
Recovery-oriented approaches recognize the importance of peer support networks and community resources (280). Holistic, evidence-based treatment approaches are essential for sustained mental health and well-being. For example, early psychosis intervention has been a focus for several decades, providing specialized care for young people experiencing their first episode of psychosis.
Kindness and Children’s Mental Health
Search on-the-go support for mental wellness, meditation, mood tracking, and more. Learn how to talk with and support everyone in a family when one member is struggling. Understand the types of resources available and how to effectively access them. Learn what mental wellness is, how to support a young person as they navigate transition points, and where to get help. Interpersonal violence was ranked among the leading causes of death of older adolescents in 2021 (1).
For Young People
- Understand common signs that indicate when professional mental health support could be beneficial.
- Poor mental health in adolescence is one of a number of factors influencing risk-taking behaviour, including self-harm; use of tobacco, alcohol and drugs; risky sexual behaviours; and exposure to violence.
- SereniMind operates at the intersection of health technology, youth development and digital advocacy.
- In response, SereniMind is coordinating a digital campaign known as the Africa Wellness Voices Initiative (AWVI), which uses social media and digital storytelling to encourage open conversations on mental wellbeing and reduce stigma among young people.
Studies that have compared trends between students and non-students indicate variation across countries and genders. Female adolescents are particularly affected, showing increased worry about academic performance, contributing to a widening gender gap around 50% for internalising problems (102, 112). Studies report rising school-related stress, academic pressure, and burnout among adolescents, with notable variation across countries (107–111). Educational reforms in the UK and many other countries have led to increased grading and testing, which significantly contributes to student anxiety and stress (104). Based on two large national surveys using identical Military child well-being toolkit resources measures of adolescent and parent emotional problems over a 20-year period, increases in maternal emotional problems were found to modestly contribute to increasing rates of adolescent emotional problems (103). This framework includes individual-level social determinants (i.e. proximal) and broader environmental determinants (i.e. distal).
Find help and support
Take a look back at our Children’s Mental Health Week themes and resources from previous years. We’ve released our official Children’s Mental Health Week resources for schools, families and community groups, and workplaces, as well as lots of fundraising materials! Children’s Mental Health Week 2026 is taking place this week, from 9-15 February. In our free kindness workshops we show children that the little choices they make every day have the power to make a difference – both to others and to their own well-being. Our Kindness Workshops teach children about the science of kindness and the amazing impact it has on our mind and bodies.
Brightside Health treats people ages 18 and over and you get started with a free assessment. With the developmental changes and challenges that youth face normally, especially in adolescence, many experience transitional phases of mood and behavioral changes. There is ample evidence that suicide prevention often starts with someone paying attention. Of course, reviewing warning signs and symptoms will also help parents, teachers, and others. Learning about these warning signs gives youth the chance to recognize these signs and take action if a friend exhibits them or if they themselves start to display them. One of the best ways that we can begin to address these deficiencies is to promote awareness.