MORE than a fifth of children in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are unhappy with their mental health, according to a new survey by the Children’s Commissioner.

In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, 3,275 children aged between nine and 17 responded to a question on their mental health – with 22% saying they were unhappy with it.

Meanwhile, 11% of children said they were unhappy with their physical health, 5% with their friendships, and 9% with their life overall.

The survey also asked pupils what they worry about, 44% said they were worried about having a healthy environment and planet, and 43% about having enough money to buy the things they need.

On the whole, pupils in the area are less optimistic than kids elsewhere.

Around 50% said it is likely they will have a better life than their parents, compared to 52% across England.

Clare Hurley, Head of CAMHS at Dorset HealthCare, said:

“We recognise how difficult the last 18 months has been for children and young people and how the pandemic, school closures and lockdowns has had an impact on mental health and wellbeing.

“Our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) is here to support young people who are struggling with their mental health. The services we provide can help with a range of issues, such as if a young person is feeling depressed, anxious, isolated or unhappy with their self-image.

“We have also developed a CAMHS ‘Gateway’ service, which allows us to see young people presenting with mental health problems more quickly and offer a more timely intervention.

“This has been piloted in the BCP area over the last 12 months, and we are now rolling it out across the rest of Dorset.

“Our staff can help children and young people better understand their mental health and how they can manage it, before it deteriorates further.

“People aged 16-18 can self-refer to this service without going through their GP. In addition, we now have wellbeing practitioners in many of the schools in Dorset to offer support to children and young people as early as possible.”

More than half a million school pupils were polled across the country for the Big Ask survey between April and May.

The survey found that a fifth of children across England were unhappy with their mental health – but girls were almost twice as likely as boys to think this (25% versus 13%).

The report is calling for a comprehensive catch-up package for schools, a faster expansion of mental health support teams, and stronger safeguards for social media platforms.

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said the Government has already taken action to address young people's concerns, including an Online Safety Bill, committing to Net Zero and hosting COP26 later this year.

He added: “We know that the pandemic hit young people hard, which is why we have launched a tutoring revolution to make sure they catch up and bolstered mental health support in schools.

"As we drive to level up opportunities across the country, we will continue prioritising young people’s wellbeing alongside academic success."

For more information about the Dorset CAMHS service, visit: camhsdorset.org