COVID-19 has been challenging for the mental health of children and young people in the United Kingdom (UK). There has been significant upheaval in their school, family, and social lives, and many continue to have concerns about impacts on their mental health, their education, and their futures.
Following “Youth Mental Health and Covid-19”, a conference run by the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, The Policy Institute and Emerging Minds, a policy lab was held to identify the most pressing challenges for children and young people’s mental health and what we can do to “build back fairer” over the short, medium, and long-term.
Over two days, participants from policy, academia, civil society and schools, as well as young people, including those with lived experience of mental health issues, and parents and carers, discussed these key topics.
The below Briefing Note presents the key points of discussion and recommendations emerging from the lab.