Children's mental health - Yesterday, today and tomorrow

Join the University of South Wales for a virtual lecture and live Q&A session with consultant clinical psychologist, USW Visiting Professor and USW Addictions Research Group member, Professor Neil Frude.

For several decades it has been clear that there are high levels of emotional distress among children and young people, as well as a high prevalence of diagnosable psychological conditions. Analyses over time have also provided strong evidence of decreasing wellbeing and the term ‘crisis’ has come to be used more and more to describe the state of young people’s mental health. This picture reflects the situation pre-Covid, but it is now clear that the pandemic has substantially increased the stresses experienced by many children and young people.

This presentation will examine child wellbeing and mental health before and since the onset of the pandemic and will then go on to discuss effective ways in which children’s wellbeing can be significantly increased. The potential benefits of such interventions include a substantial preventive effect on the development of highly distressing psychological conditions.

There are many things that government can do, that schools and teachers can do, that parents can do, and that we can teach children to do for themselves, that can help to safeguard young people’s wellbeing, to increase their resilience, and to promote their happiness. Many of the interventions to be discussed are based on the science of positive psychology.

This event is part of the University of South Wales' Tomorrow Matters event series.