Many fearing the stigma will impact their futures
- Three-quarters of parents (76%) wouldn’t feel confident spotting the signs of a mental health condition in their child
- 59% of parents wouldn’t be confident talking to their child about mental health
- A third (32%) of parents believe mental health carries a negative stigma and almost one in five (17%) fear it will impact their child’s future prospects
- Bupa has designed conversation starter cards to help parents and children break through and be heard. Bupa also recently hosted Let’s Talk: Young People’s Mental Healthevent hosted by Dr Zoe Williams with star Myleene Klass and Professor Sam Wass
Three quarters (76%) of parents wouldn’t feel confident spotting the signs of a mental health condition in their child, according to research from Bupa. This comes as 84%1 admit they don’t understand everything their child is going through, and 13% don’t know enough about their child’s feelings.
This is in part due to the challenges surrounding discussing mental health, with three fifths (59%) of parents acknowledging they wouldn’t even feel confident speaking to their child about mental health generally.
The research also found that almost a third (32%) of parents believe there is a stigma associated with mental health. Many parents believe people don’t understand mental health issues and the impact on younger people (35%) or assume it doesn’t impact younger people at all (30%).
A combination of feeling left in the dark, not knowing the signs to look out for, and the stigma still attached to mental health conditions is leaving parents feeling shame, guilt and fearful about the future.
Almost one in five (17%) are worried about the impact that having mental health issues may have on their child’s future, a third (34%) are anxious about the impact on their child’s day-to-day life and over a fifth (22%) think they’d blame themselves if their child did experience mental health issues.
Working alongside Bupa, musician, presenter, young person’s mentor and mother Myleene Klass, hopes to help parents and children to break through and be heard. Myleene has managed parental challenges and has an open and honest relationship with her children.
Myleene Klass comments: “As a parent, you only ever want the best for your children, and it’s so important that from a young age, we are making it clear that mental health carries no stigma and no one should be ashamed of asking for help or talking about their feelings, be that your child or yourself as a parent. And fostering open and honest conversations with our children from a young age can go a long way in creating a safe space for you both to be heard in. As you learn in school, you have two ears and one mouth, do double the listening and you will hear any issues much more clearly.
“However, it is also important to realise that as parents we’re human too. So we will not always get it right, or be able to fix it ourselves, and that is ok. It is nothing to feel guilty over. There is a lot of help out there for parents who feel concerned.
Dr Naveen Puri, Medical Director for Bupa UK Insurance comments: “The stigma surrounding mental health can be a massive barrier for parents seeking help. It’s important to remember that mental health is a complex issue, and no parent should feel guilty, ashamed, or that they have failed their children. Although conversations about mental health can be challenging, parents and children alike shouldn’t suffer in silence. Having access to resources on how to recognise mental health conditions as well as the appropriate steps parents can take, can enable them to reach out and break through to their children.
“If parents shy away from talking or thinking about mental health it could make it harder to notice changes in their child and recognise problems. While they shouldn’t jump to conclusions, parents should feel empowered to reach out to professionals for help if they feel especially concerned.”
Dr Naveen Puri shares five signs of poor mental health in children and advice on how to address it
- Sudden changes in your child’s mood or behaviour
Whilst all children will feel sad, anxious, or angry from time to time, persistent changes in your child’s mood or behaviour could point to an underlying mental health condition. Try having regular, open conversations with them to encourage them to express their emotions. You may also want to share things about your own mental health and let them know that it’s normal to struggle sometimes. If your child finds talking in person too overwhelming, you could communicate using different methods, such as messaging on your phones. Find a way that’s most comfortable for you both.
- Reluctance to socialise with friends or family
Children may want to isolate themselves if they’re having problems with their mental health. Try to encourage them to stay in touch with their friends and family members, whether it’s arranging an activity or speaking online/over the phone.
- Unexplained changes in appetite or weight
Some children may use food to feel more in control or cope with feelings which leads to unusual eating patterns such as only eating certain foods, binge eating, or developing rules around food. It’s best to seek help if you notice anything worrying about your child. A medical professional will be able to give your child any support they need.
- Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
Sticking to a regular routine for things like bedtimes may be helpful to give your child’s day some structure. If your child is distressed, they may take longer to fall asleep or sleep excessively. Keeping to a routine could help to manage this.
- Sudden misbehaviour at school or poor academic performance
Poor mental health can affect a child’s ability to concentrate or perform well at school. Let your child know that that they can talk to you if they’re struggling, and that you can find ways to help. This might be sitting with them to support with homework or speaking to their teacher and making them aware.
To further support parents and children, Bupa has designed conversation starter cards to help parents and children break through and be heard.
Bupa is also hosting Let’s Talk: Young People’s Mental Health, an event for parents and carers which aims to make parents aware of the signs of mental health struggles in young people and build their confidence to talk to their children about mental health.
The event will be hosted by Dr Zoe Williams and star Myleene Klass, who, as a Mum of three and young person’s mentor, provides relevant and relatable lived experience for the event, and Professor Sam Wass, a child psychologist who will share clinical advice for parents during the event.
You can watch the event here.