Children and Young People Consultation

What are the key issues around health and wellbeing for children and young people in Scotland?

In 2019, the Mental Health Foundation commissioned a report titled 'State of a generation: Preventing mental health problems in children and young people'. Despite the report being published prior to the onset of COVID-19, the issues outlined in this report, e.g., poverty, body image, sleep, technology, academic pressure, and issues related to identity, remain relevant for children and young people’s lives today. These issues are explored in further detail throughout this response.

Childhood and young adulthood represent a particularly important time for development, wellbeing, and mental health. Some research suggests that around half of mental health problems develop by the mid-teens, with three-quarters established by the mid-twenties.