One in three parents fear the cost of living crisis will affect their children’s mental health

King’s Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People’s Mental Health has commissioned a survey of UK parents, powered by Savanta ComRes, finding that 34% of parents are concerned about how the rising cost of living might affect their children’s mental health.

Written by Bryony Porteous-Sebouhian

Anxiety prevalent among those children affected by cost of living stresses

The survey involved 2,150 UK parents of children who were between 5 and 17 years old at the time and was taken between the 23rd and 29th of September. The survey was timed so it took place just after the Chancellor’s mini Budget announcement. As a result, the cost of living and rising prices were very much at the forefront of respondent's minds.

The survey found:

• 34% of parents believe the cost of living crisis could affect their children’s mental health ‘a great deal’ while 72% believe it will affect them ‘at least a little’ over the coming months.
• 33% feel their child is currently experiencing mental health problems, which then rises to 43% when the parent’s children are between the ages of 16 and 17.
• Among those who are displaying signs of mental ill-health, anxiety was noted as the most common symptom (68%) while depression and low mood were the second most common (37%).
• Three-quarters (75%) believe the government funding for children’s mental health services must be increased.
• Just over half (56%) said they have been able to access professional help for their children’s mental health, while a third (30%) say they have not been able to access the help but had tried.
• Finally, a vast majority of parents stated that they did feel able to support their children (86%).

“Yet another burden.”

Speaking about the importance of these findings and what it might tell us about how this crisis is affecting children and young people, Professor Emily Simonoff, Interim Director of the King’s Maudsley Partnership for Children and Young People’s Mental Health said:

“Children and young people’s mental health has already been impacted by COVID-19 and the cost-of-living crisis adds yet another burden. Mental health services are already struggling to meet the demand and the pressure on families’ finances could see an even greater rise. It is all the more important to make interventions available to children and young people to help them navigate stressful life events - the research we will be undertaking in the Pears Maudsley Centre will work towards preventative interventions and targeted treatments.”

Contributing to the sentiments around how this new crisis is only adding to already existing distress since the pandemic, Chief Executive of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation, David Bradley said that parents are rightly worried about how this might affect their children, acknowledging the pressure children have been under, “just as they begin to recover from the pandemic that affected their education, personal development and ability to deal with mental health conditions.”

Bradley emphasised the importance of the King’s Maudsley Partnership which aims to transform child and adolescent mental health by encouraging collaboration between academics and clinicians, in the hopes that the time taken to bring breakthroughs in research, into clinical treatment can be significantly sped up.

Kings spoke to one mother, Kelly Boone, who’s teenage daughter is currently in recovery from severe body dysmorphia disorder. Ms Boone added real world weight to the issue stating that she currently has to drive her daughter to and from her college five days a week, due to her daughter’s distress around public transport.

There and back is an hour’s round trip, Ms Boone stated and continued saying, “Gas, electricity and fuel are three things for which we are going to have to pull money out of thin air. Every day we’re bracing ourselves for what’s next, hoping something will change but the costs keep spiralling.”

These findings bring further importance to issues around staffing and resources in children and young people’s mental health services, proving that the cost of living crisis is another piece added to the already existing mental health crisis that our government cannot ignore.?