07 Oct World Mental Health Day
The 10th October is World Mental Health Day, designed to promote good mental wellbeing and highlight the support available for those who may be struggling.
This year has been particularly challenging for the UK’s collective mental health; for parents especially, the lockdown period brought with it a plethora of challenges, stemming not only from being unable to leave the house, but from balancing workloads and home-schooling.
National tutoring platform MyTutor (https://www.mytutor.co.uk) has unveiled a window into the mental health profile of students in the UK, with a review of sentiments towards parents and kids’ mental health during lockdown.
Many students struggled with the lack of social interaction while these tough Coronavirus restrictions were in place, which meant children were left unable to see friends for months. There was no opportunity to socialise, learn together or relax when the measures were strict and leaving the house was ill-advised. The research comes as Boris Johnson, too, has said it is vitally important for students to return to school for the sake of their wellbeing.
New nationally representative research commissioned by MyTutor – the UK’s leading online tutoring firm – provides an insight into the mental state of the nation’s children:
Key National Statistics
- Over 2 million parents – 17% – agree that since COVID-19, their child’s mental health is the worst it has ever been
- Over a quarter – 26% – agree that since COVID-19, there is a visible decline in their child’s educational progression and they are now scoring lower on assessed work
- Over half – 59% – agree that since COVID-19, their child has fallen out of a routine with regards to their education and their motivation to work has declined
- 41% of parents agree that their own mental health has suffered because of the increased pressure and responsibility of helping their child with their home schooling
The mental impact of the Coronavirus crisis has been well-documented and this new research from MyTutor shows that the period has also affected the motivation of students. Education should be celebrated, and the return to school in September will hopefully encourage kids to be excited about their learning once again. Until then, however, EdTech is a powerful tool to deliver education – whether through online resources or through use of an online tutor – and can help pupils feel less anxious about going back to the classroom.
Bertie Hubbard, Co-Founder and CEO of MyTutor, comments on the need for support:
“2020 has been a tough year for teens. And after 5 months out of school, exam cancellations, not seeing friends and worrying about covid-19, it’s no surprise that 26% parents feel their child’s mental health has declined. 17% parents agree that their mental health is the worst it’s ever been, and 59% have noticed a decline in their motivation to learn. With schools open again, catching up on lost learning and prepping for retakes and mocks this term brings another set of challenges for teens.
They’re in more need than ever for some support and reassurance with their studies, and that’s exactly what our tutors offer. Our tutors are all from UK unis, and because they’re just a few years older they can easily relate to what teens are going through. With their dedicated one-to-one support, teens get some much-needed reassurance and come out with a stronger self-belief – 88% say that lessons made them feel more confident.”