Credit: the New York Times
Is there a crisis in children's mental health in the UK?
Here are my thoughts.
Having working in the field of children's mental health since 1994, I would say that the crisis is more about the systems, than the children.
It's always been a mixed expereince for children in the UK. For some it's the cliche "happiest days of your life". For others its a challenge every day that can ease off aged about 16 to 18, when the culture of concentrating of people born up 12 months apart dilutes, and normal life approches.
For me the main priorities are:-
The wellbeing of parents/carers is key. Parents and carers provide the sure foundation from which children view the world. It stats with pregnancy, the first 3 month, six months, three years, five years. These are key. If I can think back into the cloud of unknowing which is my early childhood, and feel ok, then probably it's all be good. If I have a sense of unease, forboding, and insecurity, then the early years may have affected by security. I think it is good to try to sort this out as children become adults, becasue it helps us make sense of why we feel the way we do, and to get an understanding of why our gut reations operate as they do. It is said that these early years are key to a good senses of self esteem. I think there is room for a lot of variety in parenting styles. Over protective to 'les a faire', are both fine within their limits. These styles are also cultural, with some cultures allowing three year olds to wander the streets, while others will not really allow children to cry.
How parents/carers are doing is so important. Where do we get an opportunity to check these things out? How are my personal relationships going? Is my work satifying, paid appropriately? Am I being bullied or harrased? Do I feel secure? Is my health ok? Is our accommodation adiquate? Are we able to express ourselves, and celebrate life? Am I fulfilled and appriciated?
Surestart centres in the past offered a universal positive health promotion model, with a universalist arroch that assumed that everyone needs something encouraging and sociable. As the days of austerity kicked in, the model moved back to the targeted approoach where the idea was than most people are basically fine, and can get what they need from within their communities. Society had to deal with the few 'troubled families', and thousands of pounds were pumped into them.
The challenge has always been, when does the 'state' interviene? The concept of 'early intervetion' has not been lost. The idea here is to try to catch people before they fall. When they fall, they aquire a heap of more problems (expesive problems too.)
But it is easiest to help people who want to be helped. Is the help that is being offered appropriate? A bit like 'a pill for every ill', do we believe in our medcine, but others are not so sure about it.
For me, the target age group is 11 to 16 year olds. These are the years when children expereince puberty. Their self confidence and worth takes a hit. Schools become bigger. The institution pushs conformity.
On their own, children feel powerless. they have to do what they are told most of the time. Adults say children have all the power, but in actual fact, they have very little. They learn to assert themselves for their own safety.
The big issues we discuss are:-
Mobile phones and access to the internet.
Adults and children know that these devices are their to make money. They play with your mind as you play with their games. Both parents/carers and child need to face up to the impact of phones with society as a whole. I left my phone behind when on holiday. I learned what it is like to be without a phone for a week. I've got it back and realsie that I have learnt nothing.
Parents/Carers are the people most likely to buy the phone, pay for the internet, and be able to oberve their children's behaviours. What about ground rules from the start? In the UK we live with the ubicuity of alcohol. I ask parents, would you allow your child to keep a bottle of vodka in their bedroom? Why allow them to be unsafe with a phone? Adults/ Society as a whole need to take the lead and protect children from addiction, dependance and the systemic effects of 'the mob'. I have seen children who show me their phone screans. Someone in a chat says something nasty about them. Thats hard. But then it is 'liked' by 100's of people from 'the mob'. This is bullying. Bullying is injustice plus endorsement.
Self harm, low mood and dispair.
Interestingly, I have noted that less teenagers appear to get drunk than previously. More use self harm (which is cheaper). Both can be used to dull the emptiness of low mood. For me, all teenagers should belong to gangs. In a gang I feel that I am someone. On my own I am a nobody. It does not particulatly matter if my gang does good things, or bad things. I am part of it, and like a flock of birds, we follow collectively. I suggest 'better to have gangs that are doing good things'. So lets stimulate and promote groups for young people to have fun, find identity and use their creativity. Good gangs can be found...
- At your church or place of worship.
- uniformed societies- Guides, Scouts, Cadets.
- Music groups, sports groups, nature and wildlife, dance and drama. caring for others, and doing volanrty work.
As a society let's promote and fund these groups to. They all need a degree of survalance to ensure they are safe. This means youth work, which has taken a terrible hit through aucterity, needs to come back up the priority list. But also lets move away from individual work to group work, which I think is more sustainable and profitable.
What is the solution?
It starts with ideas. It needs leaders, stratagists, and people who can be bothered. We need to find them and bring them out into the fore, where they can be heard. We need to find the young people with ideas and passion, and link them up with allies in the adult word who can support them. I want all young people to be allowed to dream dreams. I want them to go on international exchanges. To try new things, to expereince different cultures, and to take healthy and affirming risks. These risks could be- camping out in small groups on your own, trying a new sport like skiing, or ice hockey. Staying with families in different county, and attending their educational establishments. Attending different religious acts of worship. Felling what it is like to be a minotiy (disability, sexuality, race.) Working and making some money. setting up projects and initiatives, such as careing for the young or the old, keeping the street clean, helping a park or a library to function well.
Strategy and planning is often some of the cheapest solutions about. We also need a great priority to be given to the wellbeing of people who mix and work with children. I am thinking of secondary schools in particular, which need to be joyful, safe and creative places. Schools can provide alternative care and support to children who do not have their basic needs met.
I think that public health campaige called five steps to promopt mental wellbeing has got it right. These should be at the heart of our schools and society.
Finally, what about spritiual health? For me, a faith in a caring and all powerful creator is vital. It's a mature relationship, one where I do not expect the other to do what I want, but an very grateful when this does happen. Faith offeres children a sense of direction and purpose when approcching the ertnity of adult exisitance. Faith enables children to stand back from the presures and assumptions of the 'norm' (I should look like this, behave like this, achieve this). Our secular society has not quite outlawed faith in schools. Although I am not a fasn of faith schools, I think they have a minorty role in showing that establishement that faith is part of life too.
