Bullying Of Young People Is ‘Endemic’ Says Guildford Psychologist

Published on: 23 Sep, 2015
Updated on: 25 Sep, 2015

By Victoria Lazarevic

A psychologist at a private clinic in Guildford has described bullying as “endemic” across the UK.

While Bruce Holroyd, from Guildford’s Healthcare on Demand, feels bullying is no bigger a problem here than elsewhere, he is calling for “more discussion about bullying in the public forum.”

Bruce Holroyd, of Guildford’s Healthcare on Demand. Pictures courtesy of Healthcare on Demand.

He said bullying can be dismissed as part of growing up and “therefore doesn’t warrant special attention.”

He was responding to findings in The Good Childhood Report 2015, which ranked children in England the lowest out of 14 other countries when it came to being unhappy.

Mr Holroyd, a former lead consultant at Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CANHS), said he was “not surprised” by the findings in the report.

The international study asked children their feelings with regards to bullying, their experience of school and their self image.

While the countries within the study seemed an incongruous collective; bullying, children’s experience of school and their self image – appear not.

The psychologist said: ‘There is a consistency to the results of this sort of comparative study, with the UK frequently faring poorly in relation to other European countries when it comes to aspects of wellbeing and happiness.

“I think this is probably attributable to a lot of different variables, not just the reduction in CAMHS funding.

“I think it is also likely to reflect wider cuts in public spending – which has resulted, for example, in lots of children’s centres being closed – and such cultural differences as how family life is prioritised and the degree of pressure experienced by children in the education system.”

Healthcare on Demand’s clinic in Eastgate Gardens, Guildford.

In 2012 there was a 12% rise in calls about exam stress to the parent helpline of YoungMinds, a leading UK charity and voice for children and young people’s well-being and mental health.

In an attempt to understand England’s unhappiness rating, further statistics from a YoungMinds briefing revealed: “By the time an average class of 30 young people reach their 16th birthdays:
• 10 of them will have witnessed their parents separate.
• Three will have suffered from mental health problems.
• Eight will have experienced severe physical violence, sexual abuse or neglect.
• Three will be living in a step family.
• One will have experienced the death of a parent.
• seven will report having been bullied.

The Good Childhood Report 2015 states: “Children in England experienced the highest levels of emotional bullying out of all of the countries surveyed, with 50% of children reporting being left out by their classmates, and over a third (38%) of children having been hit by other children, in the last month.”

YoungMinds was concerned about the reduction of local authority funding impacting much needed mental health services for children and young people to support mental health issues and submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

It revealed that two-thirds of local authorities in England had reduced their CAMHS budget since 2010.

In the absence of prevalence data since 2004, the UK’s Health & Social Care Information Centre reported an increase in admissions to Surrey hospitals due to mental and behavioural disorders of children aged up to 17 years old.

A spokeswoman from Surrey & Borders Partnership said there has been an increase in demand for children’s mental health services since 2012. However, she did not attribute it directly to funding cuts.

She said: “Whether it is because there is an increase in level of need or because people are more aware and open about mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and self harming, or it could be that services are doing a better job and getting children the help they need – even if CAHMS lacks sufficient money to provide it.”

While the experiences felt by children in England may be “tangible”, the availability of funding to support them has been less so.

A Guildford businesswoman, who sought help and guidance for her 13-year-old daughter struggling with depression, was told by the family’s GP: “Waiting time for CAMHS is such, you could grow old waiting.”

While this family was mindful of the scarcity of resources, the mother said: “It didn’t help us to know where to go next, muddling through a series of counsellors, trawling far and wide and flailing around as there were so few reliable outcomes.”

The family eventually found what they describe as “a suitable formula” and their daughter is now thriving.

The mother said: “Looking back, the best option, had I known what I know now, would to have seen a clinical psychologist, who can assess, diagnose and signpost you on.

The Guildford & Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group, which plans and funds children’s mental health services, said it is looking to increase the CAHMS budget in 2016 with re-procurement, and has placed a bid with NHS England for additional funding.

It is also recognised that the combination of “early intervention” within schools and primary care settings to address emotional issues in their infancy, together with improved local authority funding for children’s mental health services and availability of access to mental health support, means communities could more effectively support children’s emotional and/or mental health issues.

This in turn, could increase the overall happiness of the children of England.

Useful websites:

Headmeds websites designed for young people with information about mental health medications, conditions and general advice

Information for young people about different areas of mental health

Young Minds helpline for parents

www.healthsurrey.org

healthcareondemand.org.uk