Mental health

Young Minds has published an autumn survey about the experiences of young people with mental health needs. The September survey of 2,011 young people shows that many young people with mental health problems are struggling to cope as they return to secondary school, after months of living through the COVID-19 crisis.

The pandemic has put a huge strain on many young people who were already struggling with their mental health, because of traumatic experiences, social isolation, a loss of routine and a breakdown in formal and informal support. The survey highlighted positives for mental health in the initial return to school, such as seeing friends, having a routine, and seeing their teachers. However, many said that the rapid return to academic pressure, after six months away, was having a negative impact.

A high proportion of people with severe mental health problems are unemployed but would like to work. Individual Placement and Support (IPS) offers a promising approach to establishing people in paid employment. In a randomized controlled trial across six European countries, the economic case for IPS for people with severe mental health problems was investigated compared to standard vocational rehabilitation.