As A-Level results are released across the country, headlines are rightly filled with stories of success – of young people achieving against the odds, of hard work paying off, and of futures taking shape. These results represent more than exam scores: they reflect resilience, determination, and growth through some of the most turbulent years in recent memory.
But behind the celebration lies a quieter, more urgent crisis – one that isn’t captured in league tables or results day photos. Across the North East, young people are facing a growing wave of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. And yet, this crisis remains dangerously under-addressed.
Mental health is now one of the biggest determinants of life chances for young people – every bit as impactful as poverty. To tackle one without the other is to ignore the reality of what this generation is truly up against.
Mental health and poverty: twin crises
The North East has the highest rates of child poverty in England, with nearly 1 in 3 children growing up below the poverty line, according to the UK government. These conditions create huge barriers to success: instability at home, food insecurity, and limited access to enrichment activities or digital learning.
But while poverty is a longstanding crisis, mental health has rapidly emerged as a second front line – and it’s not merely a consequence of poverty. It is a parallel and powerful force reshaping young people’s futures.
According to NHS Digital’s 2022 national survey, one in six children aged 7–16 now has a probable mental health disorder, up from one in nine just five years earlier. Rates are especially elevated in rural and economically deprived areas of the North East.
The Education Policy Institute (EPI) and Centre for Mental Health have shown that poor mental health in adolescence significantly affects educational outcomes, attendance, and later employment. As the Institute for Fiscal Studies concluded:
“Mental health may now be a more important driver of inequality than family income.”
The Covid cohort: a generation disrupted
The pandemic deepened existing inequalities – but it also left a profound mental health legacy of its own. Young people lost out on crucial developmental milestones: in-person learning, socialisation, extracurriculars, and emotional support systems.
Girls have been particularly affected. Data from The Children’s Society and Public Health England highlights soaring rates of anxiety, body image concerns, and depression among teenage girls since 2020.
And while schools and families did their best to adapt, support systems were overwhelmed, and in too many cases, mental health needs have gone undetected – or untreated.
What we’re hearing from the experts
“The pandemic has left a generation of young people grappling with unprecedented levels of anxiety and uncertainty. Many don’t have the support they need at home or school to cope. We see a real urgency for systemic change to support mental health as a fundamental part of young people’s wellbeing.”
“Mental health cannot be an afterthought. Poverty and poor mental health are deeply linked, and the North East’s recovery must prioritize both. NEMCA has the unique opportunity to lead a coordinated response that recognizes these challenges are inseparable.”
Why NEMCA must lead on mental health
The North East Mayoral Combined Authority was created to drive progress on critical regional challenges: poverty, education, employment, and economic regeneration. Its visible commitment to tackling child poverty is welcome and necessary.
But mental health is absent from this regional agenda, and this comes at a cost.
If we want young people in the North East to thrive – not just survive – then mental health must be treated as a policy priority on equal footing with poverty. The two issues are intertwined, and addressing one without the other is not just ineffective – it’s irresponsible.
A system under strain: when help comes too late
Even when young people ask for help, they are too often met with silence, delays, or outright rejection. Across the UK – and acutely in the North East – child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) are overwhelmed.
Waiting times are not measured in weeks – they’re now measured in months or even years:
- Most areas in the North East report waiting times exceeding two years for CAMHS referrals.
- Families have many shared stories of waiting up to four years for access to assessment or treatment.
- Nationally, one in four CAMHS referrals is rejected, often without any alternative support being offered.
- This is not a system under pressure – it’s a system in breakdown.
Early intervention matters. According to the Mental Health Foundation, half of all mental health problems begin before the age of 14. Delays in support don’t just postpone recovery – they deepen the damage and risk turning temporary crises into long-term conditions.
What good is awareness without access? Promoting mental health while offering no timely support is not enough. We are asking young people to open up, only to leave them waiting years for help that may never come.
A blueprint for action
This is not a problem without solutions. The North East can lead the way by embedding mental health into every part of its youth strategy. That means:
- Investing in school-based mental health services, including counselling, therapy, and early intervention
- Training teachers and youth workers to spot signs of distress and make effective referrals
- Embedding mental health education into school curricula, giving young people the tools to understand and manage their wellbeing
- Strengthening collaboration between schools, NHS services, local authorities, and community organisations
- Targeting resources at communities hardest hit by poverty and poor mental health
- Listening to young people, and involving them in the design of the services meant to support them
Silence isn’t a strategy
The Mayor has spoken with passion about the need to tackle child poverty. But when it comes to youth mental health, the silence is striking.
Every statistic, every report, every frontline worker is telling the same story – young people are struggling. So why isn’t this being treated with the same urgency?
It is time for action and to make priorities, to reduce waiting lists, to provide therapy, to recognise youth mental health, to not do so is to fail the generation it claims to support.
If we want to talk seriously about opportunity, resilience, and regional recovery, then mental health must be central to the conversation.
This isn’t just about care – it’s about justice. If we accept that poverty limits potential, we must also accept that mental ill-health does too. And we must act accordingly.
The young people of the North East deserve more than sympathetic words. They deserve leadership that listens, invests, and delivers.
Celebrating every journey
As we applaud academic success this results season, let’s also celebrate the quiet victories – the students who returned to school after struggling with anxiety, the young people working part-time while caring for family, the resilience shown by those whose challenges don’t show up on paper.
Because progress is about more than marks. It’s about mental health, opportunity, and the systems we build to support all young people – not just the ones who achieve despite adversity, but the ones still finding their way through it.
And the future of the North East depends on every one of them.
