Long shadow of Covid begins to lift for teen mental health – but recovery is bypassing girls and low-income families

Teenage mental health could be on the mend, as new research reveals a sharp decline in distress and signs of recovery from the pandemic’s impact.

But not all young people are seeing the same improvements. Girls and pupils from lower-income families remain far more likely to struggle with their mental health.

The findings come from a partnership between some of Britain’s leading independent schools – including Eton, Wellington and Alleyn’s – and state schools nationwide. More than 90 schools have joined forces as the Coalition for Youth Mental Health in Schools to improve pupil mental health in their communities and across the country.

Backed by The Wellbeing Hub from Teen Tips, the research also highlights case studies, best practice and lessons learned in the years since the pandemic.

The report, Green Shoots and Grass Roots, draws on new polling by Public First of over 1,000 11- to 18-year-olds, using questions first asked in 2021 as a reference point.

Key findings include:

• Most young people now say they’re doing well: 77% of 11- to 18-year-olds rate their mental health as ‘quite good’ or ‘very good’.
• Older teens are faring much better than in 2021: the share of 16- to 18-year-olds who rate their mental health as poor has halved, falling from 21% to 10%.
• More teenagers feel their school is stepping up: 28% of 16-18s say their school is doing everything it can to support their wellbeing, up from 20% three years ago.
• Girls are still far more likely to struggle: just 70% rate their mental health as good, compared to 84% of boys.
• Pupils from poorer families are falling behind: only 69% of those from social grades DE rate their mental health as good, compared to 87% from grades AB.
• School stress hits poorer pupils harder: those from households earning under £30,000 rate their school-related worry at 4.9/10, compared to 4.1/10 for those from households earning over £60,000.
• The emotional weight teens place on their phones is clear: 32% of young people say losing their phone would ruin their day, ahead of getting detention (25%) or a poor grade (23%).
• Social media use is near-universal by 16: 63% of 11- to 12-year-olds already have accounts, rising to 94% among 16-18s.

The report calls for:

• Delivery of Labour’s pledge for a counsellor in every school, as a complement to existing in school provision.
• Targeted support for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds and low income families, recognising the unequal burden of distress.
• Gender-specific approaches to mental health in schools, reflecting different experiences and pressures.
• A realistic, evidence-based approach to smartphones, balancing their importance in teenagers’ lives with potential harms.

Jane Lunnon, Head of Alleyn’s School and Co-Chair of the Coalition said: “This is the clearest sign yet that the long shadow of the pandemic may finally be lifting. But the recovery isn’t reaching everyone. Girls and pupils from poorer families are still at far greater risk of poor mental health, and schools can’t fix that alone.”

Dr Jon Needham, Director of Safeguarding at Oasis Community Learning and Co-Chair of the Coalition said: “This report is a moment of cautious optimism, but it also highlights the urgent need to support the young people still struggling most. We already know what works in schools, now we need the support to scale it.”

Alicia Drummond, Founder of Teen Tips and Co-Chair of the Coalition said: “We’re beginning to see progress – but green shoots are fragile. Schools are doing extraordinary work, but they can’t do it in isolation, so we need to invest in additional support at every level to make sure nobody falls through the gaps.”

A full copy of the report can be found here: Green shoots and grass roots