What part might academic pressure have to play in the mental ill-health of children and young people?
Each year, the children’s society publishes a report on the state of children’s happiness. In the most recent edition- published in 2022 the role of schools merits a chapter on its own. The headline figures show that around 1 in 16 children (6%) aged 10 to 15 in the UK are unhappy with their lives, and almost 1 in 8 (12%), an estimated 562,000 of 10-15-year-olds, are unhappy with school. Of 24 European countries included in the analysis, children aged 15 in the UK have the greatest fear of failure.
A 2020 summary article, by Suniya Luthar, professor emerita at Columbia University’s Teachers College in the United States, highlights a growing body of evidence suggesting that young people in “high-achieving” settings are an “at-risk group”, experiencing up to seven times the levels of anxiety and depression as those in other school settings. The article goes on to explore the causes of this. The blame is not laid solely at the door of schools but is seen in a wider context where parental expectations and peer comparisons also play a role.
In response to the headline figures concerning unhappiness in school, The Children’s Society is calling for the faster rollout of mental health support teams alongside early support hubs in every community so that no young person has to wait for the help they deserve. These hubs already exist in some parts of the country. You can add your voice to the call for a wider rollout by following and supporting the campaign being coordinated by Young Minds.
You can also support your children and young people by:
• Actively choosing and supporting schools that have a strong, consistent approach to pupil well-being with a strong sense of community;
• Encouraging children and young people to pursue interests and hobbies for their own sake- not always because they add something more to their CV;
• Not over-emphasising the importance of examinations;
• Helping your children and young people to recognise ways in which social media can impact on their view of themselves.