Page 3 - Guidance for Children’s Services Early Help and Children’s Social Care :: Portus

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Context

Everyone’s mental health is as One in four children and
important as their physical health. young people with mental
Experiencing poor mental health health difficulties have harmed
is common. themselves as a way of coping

National surveys show that at any one time 1 in 5 with their feelings of distress.
adults experience anxiety, depression, or a mixture of Self-harm is more likely in children and young
both.
people who experience emotional and mental health
Children and young people can also experience a problems.
range of common emotional and mental health But it is important to know that children and young
problems (and this can start from a very young age).
people can recover from mental health distress with
Surveys and research show that children and young the help of family, friends, and supportive adults.
peoples’ mental health has worsened over recent It is also important to avoid labelling or medicalising
years. In 2022, one in six (16.0%) children aged 5 to 16 children and young people as this can be
years were identified as having a probable mental counterproductive.
disorder, increasing from one in nine (10.8%) in 2017.
The increase was seen in both boys and girls. Growing up is difficult

Young people are telling us that they feel intense
pressure due to exams, friendships, identity and
worries about what the future holds. Over time this
Children aged 5 to 16 can affect their emotional and mental health.
years identified as having
a probable mental
disorder.

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