Positive thinking

Rob Creasy, York St John University and Fiona Corby, Teesside University Children growing up in the UK are said to be some of the unhappiest in the industrialised world . The UK now has the highest rates of self harm in Europe . And the NSPCC’s ChildLine Annual Review lists it as one of the top reasons why children contact the charity. Children’s mental health has becomes one of British society’s most pressing issues. A recent report from the Prince’s Trust highlights how increasing numbers of children and young people are unhappy with their lives, sometimes with tragic consequences. This is a generation of young people that has been labelled as “ snowflakes ” – unable to handle stress and more prone to taking offence. They are also said to have less psychological resilience than previous generations. And are thought to be too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own. Social media likely plays a part in all this. Studies show nearly thr...

Christopher Boyle, University of Exeter and Will Shield, University of Exeter   Life’s complexities can be magnified in school. Pressures to conform to the norm, pass exams well, be socially accepted and have a strong social media following are just a few of the difficulties that children and young people face every day. Government figures suggest that close to one in five young people have experienced a “common mental disorder”, such as depression or anxiety, in the past week. What’s more, young people are less likely to recover from mental health issues if they are from a deprived area, or have a disability. The UK government’s plans (outlined in its 2017 green paper ) would see mental health teams provide extra support in schools, and introduce waiting time targets. But according to a joint report by the Education and Health and Social Care Committees, the government’s strategy won’t address the complexities of young people’s mental health issues, while its gra...

Jonathan Parry, University of Birmingham When you think of child soldiers, it might conjure up images of young children far away, taken from their homes and forced to take part in war and fighting, often held against their will. It may surprise you then to learn the UK employs child soldiers – about 23% of army personnel were recruited before their 18th birthday . By recruiting 16-year-olds, the UK is an international outlier, an honour it shares with Iran, North Korea, and Zimbabwe. No other member of the EU or NATO, or permanent member of UN Security Council, recruits so young. This policy has earned criticism from humanitarian organisations – including the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child . And the UK public seems to agree – nearly 80% think the age of enlistment should be at least 18 . And yet this is something the UK government arguably wants to see more of. A recently published government report on military recruitment, by the MP Mark Francois , wa...