As we wade through the unchartered waters of a global pandemic, it is timely that the April 2021 edition of the Child Care in Practice (CCiP) Journal is dedicated to young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Although this cohort are not represented significantly in the mortality figures associated with Covid—19, they have been affected in many other ways; none more significantly than emotionally and psychologically. As someone who has worked with young people and their families for over 24 years, I have never witnessed anything like the “Mental Health Pandemic” that is currently affecting young people. This cohort have seen their education, relationships and hobbies obliterated by Covid—19 lockdowns. Many who were just about managing, in an already highly stressful socio-cultural environment, have been considerably adversely affected. We have seen young people who have been managing really well for years, return to services. The reason for this is that many of the things that young people, and adults, have used to keep mentally fit are no longer available to them. This is especially noticeable in my role as an Adolescent Psychotherapist. Many of the coping skills and responses that we would suggest to young people, such: as “meet your friends”, socialise, get a part-time job, feel purposeful connect with hobbies and pastimes, have all been unavailable to young people for the past year and therefore the resources at the disposal of many mental health professionals are severely compromised. Many of us have been scraping the bottom of the proverbial barrel as we suggest things like “go for a walk”, “Zoom call your friends” or “listen to some solitary mindfulness/ relaxation techniques”. The futility of these suggestions is not lost on young people and the helplessness of mental health professionals is obvious. This is causing considerable strain on everyone. It is wonderful that we have this April edition to increase our professional knowledge base of young people’s current state of wellbeing, and we are provided with supportive evidence-based examples of what can be utilised to build their resilience and coping skillset as we re-emerge from the Covid-19 era.
As we begin to repair from the psychological impact of Covid-19 Lockdowns, a key aspect will be our capacity to engage young people in adaptive coping strategies. In this edition of the CCiP Journal, we feature a paper by Walsh & Harland which explores this challenge, especially with adolescent boys. Due to traditional notions of masculinity and stigma, it has been particularly challenging to engage this cohort in emotional support. This paper draws on the authors’ 30 years of social research in Northern Ireland where they share practical insights which will benefit educators and practitioners as we move forward into a Post-Covid world.
Also, in this edition we are treated to an Italian Study by Inguglia et al. who explore the role of parent-adolescent relationships in binge-eating and binge drinking. This study is timely as we see our relationships with food, exercise and alcohol undergo significant changes. This study highlights the positive influence of parental monitoring, sensation seeking and life satisfaction as mediators. The authors further explore the inter-relations between the intrapersonal and contextual factors, which will prove important as we move forward through our everchanging social world.
Another timely paper featured this month is by Pollock et al. which explores the concept of self-harm in young people. This paper captures the voices of young people who engage in self-harm and provides invaluable insights into the onset, persistence and ending variables in this behaviour. The paper also discusses the role of ACE’s, poor relationships and the possibility of the addictive qualities of this behaviour. Again, this is a very topical theme as we see young people increasingly engage in maladaptive coping strategies to manage the Covid-19 Lockdowns.
Wangensteen & Westby explore the stories of children whose parents experience substance use disorder. This unique insight focuses on the protective factors that exist for children to assist them to cope, navigate and survive this challenging home environment. Furthermore, in the spirit of coping and resilience, a study by Kirby et al. also features in this month’s edition where the “Hopeful Minds” School-based project is discussed. The authors detail how this programme nourished young people’s coping, resilience, and emotional regulation. Again, a timely evidence base for a skillset that is so desperately required in these times.
Finally, in a Dutch Study by Femke van Schelven and colleagues, they describe the importance of hearing the young person’s voice in relation to their “lived experience” of chronic conditions. This study illustrates the importance of listening to the voices of young people and how we need to include them in the research that we conduct which has implications for them.
This April issue is timely, pertinent, and strategically important as we prepare to move out of the Covid world. The key learnings from these studies will contribute to the way in which we support young people. As the light and hope of vaccinations are within our visual range and as we emerge from the lockdowns, issues will arise. It is therefore paramount that we utilise the evidence available to us of what is effective in terms of building a resilient and regulated young population and most importantly, capturing their own voice in the Post-Covid Recovery Process.