Summary
This report presents findings from the fourth (wave 4) in a series of follow up reports to the 2017 Mental Health of Children and Young People (MHCYP) survey, conducted in 2023. 2,370 children and young people who took part in the MHCYP 2017 survey took part in the wave 4 follow up.
The mental health of children and young people aged 8 to 25 years living in England in 2023 is examined, as well as their household circumstances, and their experiences of education and services and of life in their families and communities.
Comparisons are made with 2017, 2020 (wave 1), 2021 (wave 2), and 2022 (wave 3) where possible, to monitor changes over time.
Key Facts
In 2023, about 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 years had a probable mental disorder.
This was 20.3% of 8 to 16 year olds, 23.3% of 17 to 19 year olds and 21.7% of 20 to 25 year olds.
After a rise in prevalence between 2017 and 2020, rates of probable mental disorder remained stable in all age groups between 2022 and 2023.
Among 8 to 16 year olds, rates of probable mental disorder were similar for boys and girls, while for 17 to 25 year olds, rates were twice as high for young women than young men.
More than 1 in 4 children aged 8 to 16 years (26.8%) with a probable mental disorder had a parent who could not afford for their child to take part in activities outside school or college, compared with 1 in 10 (10.3%) of those unlikely to have a mental disorder.
17 to 25 year olds with a probable mental disorder were 3 times more likely to not be able to afford to take part in activities such as sports, days out, or socialising with friends, compared with those unlikely to have a mental disorder (26.1% compared with 8.3%).
Children aged 11 to 16 years with a probable mental disorder were 5 times more likely than those unlikely to have a mental disorder to have been bullied in person (36.9% compared with 7.6%).
They were also more likely to have been bullied online (10.8% compared with 2.6%).
Just over half (54.8%) of young people aged 17 to 25 years reported being worried about the impact of climate change.
Young women aged 17 to 23 years were less likely to be optimistic than young men about having enough money (38.5% compared with 60.5%) and about their health (including mental health and wellbeing) (51.4% compared with 67.8%).
In 2023, eating disorders were identified in 12.5% of 17 to 19 year olds, with rates 4 times higher in young women (20.8%) than young men (5.1%).
2.6% of 11 to 16 year olds were identified with eating disorders, with rates 4 times higher in girls (4.3%) than boys (1.0%) and 5.9% of 20 to 25 year olds, were identified with eating disorders with no difference in rates evident between women and men.
Academic citation: Newlove-Delgado T, Marcheselli F, Williams T, Mandalia D, Dennes M, McManus S, Savic M, Treloar W, Croft K, Ford T. (2023) Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2023. NHS England, Leeds.
Last edited: 28 March 2024 3:25 pm
