MyFutureSelf

Hi, I am Carl Moreton and the founder of MyFutureSelf, the mentoring service working with young people across Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.

A recent national survey by YoungMinds found that just under 85% of young people self-report deteriorating mental health during this pandemic, including increased anxiety, problems with sleep, panic attacks or more frequent urges to self-harm. Whilst the NHS have also found that one in three young people experience bullying.

Concerningly, the majority of mental health support for young people is provided by education settings. With most young people now learning from home, they are trying to cope alone. Yet, without guided support and mentoring, it can be hard for young people to process what they are experiencing, so I would like to start a conversation with you about your young person and their mental health.

This pandemic is hard for everyone. Whilst some may not outwardly show it, not being around friends, missing school and spending a lot of time within the same four walls is always hard to cope with. It is important to acknowledge these emotions and understand that they are normal reactions to present circumstances, but please talk about them openly and transparently. Nobody wins from staying silent.

I have been working with young people throughout the pandemic to support them with their emotional wellbeing, relationship issues, confidence and self-esteem. In doing so I have observed the following issues:

• Anxiety is on the rise. The impact from social distancing combined with worries about the future, education, health, not being able to take part in day-to-day activities and lack of control is increasing stress and anxiety. Coping mechanisms, support systems and routines are being disrupted by the measures to control the pandemic.
• Increasing sense of loneliness. Without opportunities to socialise, learn and having access to their wider support network, young people are feeling lonelier. Autonomy and freedom has suddenly diminished and more time at home can lead to overthinking and use of negative coping strategies.
• Compromised online safety. Being online is something most young people are doing right now, and it is helpful for many to stay connected. However, some young people have negative experiences online and it is estimated 90 cybercrimes are recorded every day against children, ranging from cyberbullying and viewing inappropriate content, to grooming and sexual exploitation.

Here is some advice, based on my experiences working with young people and families as part of MyFutureSelf, to help you to support your child:

• Create a daily planner with times on it, particularly if it’s a school day, with planned lessons, planned break times and planned exercise. Work with your children to develop their own plan and be prepared to compromise a little. This routine and structure will not only help their well-being but also make readjustment easier once schools/colleges return.
• Observe and discuss. Keep an eye on what your child is reading, watching and listening to. Encourage them to tidy up their news feed by unfollowing or muting social media accounts that might foster negative feelings. Discuss basic online safety including thinking about who they’re talking to and not sharing personal details.
• Future-focussed. Engage your child in discussions about what they’re looking forward to doing once things return to normal. Remind them that this pandemic will pass and focus on what they would like to achieve during this time.

Lastly, young people find it easier to talk while doing another activity, like cooking or drawing, and they may also prefer to write or draw their feelings rather than verbalise them. I understand that these are challenging times and making time for these things can be difficult. After all, many of us are working from home. So at MyFutureSelf we find out what works for your young person and cater the support to them. If you feel your young person needs more support or you want to know more about what we do, please check out our website at: https://www.myfutureself.org.uk/ or search ‘myfutureself’ on Facebook.