It’s no secret that today’s teenagers are growing up in a very different context from previous generations.
For many, the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted their childhoods and education, while rapid technological change, social media and artificial intelligence (AI) are continuing to transform how young people learn, communicate and spend their time.
These dramatic shifts are, in part, reflected by increasing rates of mental health problems. In 2023, the NHS reported that one in five children in England aged eight to 16 (20.3%) had a probable mental health issue, up from one in eight (12.5%) in 2017.
To get a better understanding of how young people are navigating these challenges, our team at Anna Freud, a mental health charity for children and young people, are running the Growing Up in the 2020s study.
Commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) and run in partnership with UCL and Ipsos, we’re tracking the wellbeing and educational progress of nearly 8,000 young people in secondary state schools across England over the course of five years.
We’re curious to find out how things like school, home life and relationships shape young people’s lives and futures, including their mental health and academic outcomes.
By identifying which groups of young people might be struggling, the data can be turned into action to tackle inequalities, boost attainment and build wellbeing.
Our first wave of data collection covered Year 8 (age 12-13), and it revealed one in four young people are likely to have a mental health problem, and that inequalities are already clearly and consistently affecting the lives of some groups.
Differences linked to, for example, a child’s special educational needs, sex, ethnicity or their family’s income, are associated with mental health, sense of belonging, attendance and more.
For instance, young people eligible for free school meals were almost twice as likely to have a probable mental health condition as their peers (36% compared with 20%).
Yet even when things are tough, young people report high levels of resilience
In fact, 71% of those we surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that they keep trying when they find something difficult (22% selected ‘neither agree nor disagree’).
Most young people also reported positive relationships with family and friends, and 63% felt they belonged at school (28% selected neither agree nor disagree).
We’re all too familiar with narratives about a ‘snowflake generation’ and I hope these findings help to put this dismissive idea to bed.
Instead, we have a generation of young people who are facing challenges and many are, understandably, finding things tough.
But they’re also saying loud and clear that they do want to take life on and give things a go.
What I hope parents will take away from our research
Living in the 2020s can sometimes feel very disempowering – both for children and us as parents and carers – as we face huge political, technological and societal change.
This makes it even more important to find ways to empower our children and listen to them, which can give them the confidence to approach life proactively and with a sense of agency.
You could try asking questions like:
- What are the things that we can change?
- How can we make this better?
- What do you want to do that we can make happen?
To help them grow their sense of self and independence, you can also provide safe opportunities for your children to build autonomy, create social connections and develop new skills.
Give them a say in household decisions, such as what the family eats one night a week, agree screen-time or bedtime rules together, or find opportunities for volunteering and engaging in other activities in the community.
Along with giving young people agency, we encourage resilience by building resilient systems around them. From trusting relationships and safe homes to inclusive education and job opportunities, it’s up to all of us – parents, schools, services and government – to create the conditions young people need to thrive.
Professor Jess Deighton is Director of Research at Anna Freud, a mental health charity for children and young people, and Professor in Child Mental Health and Wellbeing at UCL. She is the Director of the Growing up in the 2020s study.
