The mental health of Australian children has deteriorated significantly over the last year due to COVID-19 and lockdowns, new analysis from the Australian National University (ANU) shows.
According to a major national survey, most parents and carers think COVID-19 worsened mental health for children aged between five and 18; compared to surveys earlier in the pandemic, their children’s wellbeing was significantly worse than it was a year ago. There were fewer concerns for children aged two to four.
Co-author Professor Nicholas Biddle said the mental health of adolescents and young adults was of “particular concern”: 71 per cent of parents and carers of 15- to 18-year-olds reported their children’s mental health had worsened.
“A lot of this is due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in particular extended lockdowns,” Professor Biddle said.
61.8 per cent of parents and carers with five- to nine-year-olds and 63.4 per cent with 10- to 14-year-olds thought their children had worse mental health.
Mental health conditions were largely the same across sex.
According to parents and carers, the COVID-19 pandemic has had either a small or large negative impact on the mental health of 60.2 per cent of boys aged two to 18. Parents and carers thought the pandemic has had the same impact on 60.8 per cent of girls aged two to 18.
In some circumstances, young Australians’ mental health had worsened due to their family circumstances, said co-author Professor Matthew Gray.
Outcomes were worse when the parent or carer was Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, lived in a state that had long lockdown periods, or had high levels of psychological distress themselves.
The survey also examined barriers to mental health support for young Australians.
One in five parents or carers (20.8 per cent) needed mental health and wellbeing support for their children during the pandemic. Of those, 73.2 per cent said they sought help.
However, 40.9 per cent of those seeking help said it was either difficult or very difficult to access mental health support.
Professor Gray said: “Many parents and carers have struggled with accessing services during the COVID-19 period. Our data shows a particular need to increase support for those children who are struggling with poor mental health, and their families.”
The study forms part of the COVID-19 Monitoring Program led by the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods – Australia’s largest and longest running longitudinal study on the impact of the pandemic across the nation. Data for the study was collected by the Social Research Centre.
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