Our Future in crisis - A mental health crisis

[February 7th 2022]

As schools, youth groups, organisations and individuals take part in Children’s Mental Health Week (7-13th February 2022) new research shows that the vast majority of staff working in UK schools (95%) have witnessed increased levels of pupil anxiety since the start of the school.

Over a thousand school leaders, teachers and other staff working in primary and secondary schools completed the poll and those surveyed have seen an increased prevalence of other mental health issues among pupils this school year, including:

86% noted an increase in low self-esteem
76% said they’d seen an increase in depression
68% witnessed an increase in sustained feelings of anger

For staff working in secondary schools,

72% have noticed an increase in self-harm, 
61% in suicidal thoughts, and 
56% in eating difficulties among pupils.

School staff also highlighted the wider impact on many aspects of school life. A large majority said it has also negatively affected:

Pupils’ ability to engage in learning (91%)
Pupils’ behaviour (87%)
Pupils’ progress (86%)
Staff workload and capacity (91%)
Staff wellbeing (89%)
                   
The covid pandemic has served to exacerbate this mental health crisis and has helped to create a world where parents currently see a future that looks even bleaker than the struggles of today, and young people see no future at all (United Nations 09/21).

For all the above reasons the Good Turns Foundation will play it's part in helping to tackle the root causes of this crisis ... and in doing so create 'Hope' for the future, our Future.

David Clift, Founder of the Good Turns Foundation

© Good Turns Foundation 2022    [GTF07022022_01]