“Elaine Lockhart, chairwoman of the child and adolescent psychiatry faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said the rise in referrals for children and young people reflects a ‘whole range’ of illnesses including psychosis, suicidal thoughts, and severe anxiety disorder. Lockhart said children and young people’s mental health had been getting worse before the pandemic.”
“When the lockdowns and pandemic struck, that really had such a negative effect on a lot of children,” she added.
“Those who had been doing well became vulnerable and those were vulnerable became unwell,” she said.