Young people have it tough, says charity boss

A charity boss has said young people "have it tough" and were "not snowflakes" as she agreed with comments from the head of a national review about their mental health.

Sheila Griffiths, CEO of Hope 4 More in Crewe, Cheshire, said many children were struggling because of factors like the education system, social media and the impact of the pandemic.

It came after Prof Peter Fonagy, who has led an independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism, said there had been a rise in mental distress among the younger generation.

Griffiths, whose charity supports young people with issues around mental illness, praised his comments, which she said reflected the "reality" many of them faced.

She told BBC Radio Stoke children were "constantly hounded" because of pressure at school, particularly on things like attendance and exams.

On the issue of social media, she said: "We used to be able to go home and, if we went to sit in our bedroom, we were comfortable sat on our own doing our own thing.

"But those phones are constantly with them. If they're being bullied, the bullying can carry on. If they aren't looking how they want to look, the pressure's there to make sure they do on their social media.

"I do think they have it tough, they're not snowflakes."

Asked why they could not put their phones away if they were being bullied, she said they should not have to, and the focus should instead be on preventing bullying.

Fonagy told the BBC it was "harder to be young" now partly due to economic uncertainty and the challenges of social media.

He said the report showed the rise in mental health problems since the 1990s was real, with about one in four 16 to 24-year-olds struggling.

The most common forms of mental distress were anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders, he added.

Griffiths said the extent of the Covid pandemic's impact on young people was not yet known but believed it had a major effect.

She said it came at a time when "their young brains were developing", while adults could adapt to the situation a little better.

"We don't know yet how that pandemic has affected their minds, as their brains developed, and we probably won't know for some time," she added.

Hope 4 More works with children who struggle to attend school, and Griffiths said the charity often received comments from adults saying they were being "too soft".

"These young people are really struggling with their mental health, it's not 'I can't be bothered to get up and go in'," Griffiths responded.

"They really are struggling for whatever reason."

When asked what the solution was, she said adults should get better at listening to young people.

"Where possible, when things like this research have been done, let's act on it," she added.

"Let's not just read it, let's do something about it."

Fonagy's review was ordered by the government nine months ago after the then Health Secretary Wes Streeting claimed young people were over-diagnosed.

More than 100 experts and families with experience of mental health problems worked on the review with Fonagy - a clinical psychologist and adviser to NHS England.

Read more Cheshire stories from the BBC and follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.