Mental health alert as school resumes after tough year

The pandemic has added a new layer of complexity when it comes to transitioning to high school, prompting an ominous warning to parents.

Grace Kulyk is preparing to start high school after a difficult 2020. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Feelings of isolation have jumped dramatically during COVID-19 for tweens, teens and young adults, sparking a watch alert as the age groups move to high schools, work and tertiary education.

Research reveals a third of children aged 12-14 years and half aged 18-21 say they feel disconnected.

The headspace research represents a lift of 10 per cent for the younger age group and 8 per cent for the 18 to 21-year-olds in the two years since the previous survey.

The new survey was conducted from May 25 to June 21, last year.

Tapping into the views of more than 1000 Australian youth. Victorian youth endured many more weeks of lockdown after the survey.

The National Youth Mental Health Foundation clinical practice executive director Vikki Ryall urged parents and carers to look out for children, tune into their needs and provide additional support.

Grace Kulyk is preparing to start high school.

“We can’t underestimate how the pandemic has and continues to impact all young people, but particularly those experiencing major shifts to their usual routine and moving to a new phase of life,” she said. “We’re encouraging families to tune into how their young person might be coping during this time.”

Ms Ryall said transition times were high risk for young people, with the pandemic adding a new layer of complexity.

“It’s likely that 2020 caused major disruptions to their year, with these young people feeling disconnected from newly formed friendships or new ways of life,” she said.

While schools worked overtime to help students, lockdowns compromised some support structures that schools, workplaces, and further education had in place, leaving young people with fewer opportunities to access support. “Young people are resilient and with the right support can get through challenging periods in their lives,” Ms Ryall said.

Grace Kulyk, 12, is starting year 7 at Ave Maria College, in Essendon, and easing the move by labelling all her books, stationery and uniform, and getting her homework area ready.

“I don’t have older siblings so I knew it was important for me to feel organised so I don’t freak out,” she said.