New data today lays bare the scale of the youth mental health crisis sweeping the UK.
An exclusive survey shows that 90% of family support and parenting practitioners report an increase in parents citing issues with their child's mental health over the past twelve months.
The research, which included more than 200 practitioners who have cumulatively worked with more than 9,000 parents and carers across the UK in the last twelve months, was conducted by the international parenting programme, Triple P.
Among its key findings were:
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90% of practitioners reporting an increase in parents highlighting issues with their children's mental health.
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81% of practitioners reporting an increase in parents highlighting issues with their own mental health.
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The cost of living continues to impact families, with 85% of practitioners reporting an increase in parents citing it as an issue.
When asked to expand on the pressures families in the UK are facing, one participant said: “The cost of living is putting increased pressure on families as a whole, impacting mental health and, in turn, impacting their ability to put successful strategies in place. to support their young people.”
The key issues uncovered by the findings link closely to the Labor Government's priorities around mental health, social media, and the cost of living.
In line with Sir Keir Starmer's mission to break down the barriers to opportunity and tackle rising NHS waiting lists, Triple P UK and Ireland is calling on the new Government to prioritize support for parents and families in October's Budget and Spending Review.
Matt Buttery, CEO of Triple P UK and Ireland, said: “Our practitioners work with thousands of families a year across the UK.
“They see first-hand the challenges that parents, carers, and children are facing.
“These insights are incredibly valuable in ensuring that the government takes an evidence-based approach to family policy.
“Particularly striking is the fact that, despite increases in a wide range of parenting challenges, practitioners still feel that there is a stigma surrounding seeking help, preventing parents from reaching out for the support they need.”
He added: “We are urging the government to commit to the expansion of Family Hubs funding to cover all local authorities, and to extend the funding beyond March 2025 to alleviate these issues.
“We need to normalize parenting support in the UK and follow Australia's example by rolling out parenting programs at a national scale.
“By making them available digitally, we can ensure every family can receive the support they need to raise happy, healthy, and resilient children.
“The Prime Minister has previously pledged to ensure the Treasury weighs the impact of spending decisions on both well-being and the national income.
“Multiple economic evaluations have demonstrated that evidence-based parenting programs like Triple P achieve positive returns on both, and therefore must be prioritized in the October Budget by Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
“These policies cost nothing overall as subsequent savings to the government exceed the original cost and they provide major public benefit.”
Social media also continues to be a rising challenge for parents, with almost two-thirds of practitioners reporting an increase in parental concerns around child screen time and around social media access, content, and use (65% and 64%).
This data comes as Labor MP Josh MacAlister puts forward proposals to introduce a ban on smartphones in schools, in addition to raising the age of “internet adulthood” from thirteen to sixteen to give more power to parents.
The survey further showed that significant barriers exist that are preventing parents from accessing support, with practitioners highlighting the impact of stigma, lack of accessibility and limited awareness of parenting support.
Some 78% of practitioners observed that parents did not access support due to stigma and not wanting to be judged.
Lack of local resources and online support were cited by 55% of practitioners, while as many as 71% felt a lack of awareness of parenting programs was proving a barrier.
Practitioners also spoke about how to overcome barriers to attendance, with one saying: “I feel that combining childcare provision with a constant rolling program of parenting classes would encourage parents to access groups at times suitable to their needs.”
Another spoke about the need for more funding to increase reach, access and meet a variety of needs: “We are a small local government team covering a large county.
“Funding to increase delivery of Triple P would reduce waiting times, allowing us to run more courses and helping us to all be trained in the full complement of Triple P courses.”