Published for YoungMinds’ 25th anniversary, the #FightingFor report shows that despite improvements in reducing stigma around mental health, young people and their parents still face challenges when seeking support

The charity surveyed more than 2,700 young people and 1,600 parents who have previously sought support for their mental health. When asked of their experience, just 9% of young people and 6% of parents said it was easy to get the help they needed. Whereas 66% of young people and 84% of parents said they found it difficult to find the right support.

The survey also found that 81% of young people, and a shocking 94% of parents, felt there isn’t enough support for children and young people with mental health problems.

Chief executive of YoungMinds, Sarah Brennan said: “These results reflect what we hear every day from young people and parents - that, despite the great progress being made by campaigns like Heads Together to get people talking about mental health, as well as extra government investment, there can still be unacceptable barriers to getting help.”

The #FightingFor survey showed that despite people believing there has been great change and improvement in the way society sees and talks about mental health, there are still obstacles in the way of finding support.

When asked what the barriers were, if any, 51% of young people said it was a lack of understanding from other people that prevented them from speaking up, while 31% reported problems getting help from their school or college.

When asked about their experience of seeking support for their child, 68% of parents said they didn’t feel listened to when looking for support for their child’s mental health.

The survey also showed that many young people who had received treatment from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has faced delays before and after their initial assessment. 44% of young people said it was difficult to get an initial referral, while 60% said there was a long wait between their referral and their assessment.

32% reported a long wait between the assessment and treatment.

The #FightingFor campaign

Published for their 25th anniversary, the #FightingFor report shows that while progress is being made, there is still a long way to go. YoungMinds ask you to join their fight “for a future where all young minds are supported and empowered, whatever the challenges”.

Reaching out and seeking help isn’t easy, for anyone. Every single one of us deserves to be heard, supported and loved. Nobody should feel like they're alone.

At Happiful, we’re devoted to raising awareness of mental health. Our mission is to create a healthier, happier and more sustainable society, to break the stigma of mental health in our society and to shine a light on the positivity and support that should be available for everyone.

We support YoungMinds and their #FightingFor campaign.

For more information on child-related issues, visit Counselling Directory.