A senior child psychologist recently did a poll of the 150 young people being cared for by his department. Each young person had a regular 45-minute appointment, sat on a sofa as one of the clinical professionals asked questions and listened carefully to their answers.
These young people were asked whether they had another adult in their life who they felt they could ask to sit with them in a similar way for 45 minutes to listen to them. Only five said they did.
Significant challenges
These 150 young people are experiencing a chronic mental health situation in need of high-level professional help. Perhaps this straw poll is not reflective of the young people’s experience in your church or your community. However, the most recent NHS England report says that one in five of children aged eight to 16 are estimated to have a “probable mental disorder”. Even in younger children (ages five to seven), the prevalence sits at around one in ten. The causes are complex, but the data is clear that across many measures we are seeing a marked decline in the mental wellbeing of the next generation. Our own small survey of over 170 church leaders showed that this is the number one topic for which parents come seeking support.
