PARENTS KEY TO YOUNG PEOPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH BUT 1 IN 10 PARENTS ACROSS SOUTH WEST FEEL UNPREPARED

New research from M&S and YoungMinds, the leading mental health charity for young people, reveals a concerning gap between young people’s needs and parents’ confidence in supporting them.

One in ten parents across the South West (13%) say they have avoided a conversation with their child about their mental health as they weren’t sure what to say.

This comes despite 8 in 10 (81%) young people across the region feeling confident their parent/carer can spot when they are struggling and half (52%) talking about mental health with their parents at least once a week or more often.

Of those parents who avoided conversations about mental health, 41% worry they will say the wrong thing, 18% find it difficult to help children of different ages and 41% don’t feel confident they can provide effective support.

Almost half (41%) of parents also admit to feeling judged when their child struggles with their mental health.

The new research also reveals more than half of young people (56%) across the South West are likely to talk to someone if they are struggling. Encouragingly, they are most likely to turn to their parents or carer for support, followed by their friend group.

YoungMinds is working to bridge the gap between young people’s needs and parents’ confidence through its free and confidential helpline for parents and carers (0808 802 5544) and online chat service. It also has plenty of resources available online to help adults feel better equipped and more confident to talk to the young people in their lives about mental health.

Across the UK, 1 in 4 young people aged 16-24 now experience a common mental health condition[1] and M&S has partnered with YoungMinds since 2023 to raise £4.4 million to help the charity reach over 6 million young people and the adults who support them with vital mental health resources.

Standing together for Hello Yellow Day

To get more conversations about mental health started, M&S and YoungMinds are calling on communities across the UK to stand together and show young people they’re not alone this Hello Yellow Day (10th October).

M&S customers can support by:

• Sign up to Hello Yellow and wear yellow on 10th October
• Making a ‘top-up’ donation in one of M&S’ South West stores (29 Sept – 10 Oct)
• Selecting YoungMinds as their chosen Sparks charity via the M&S app

Together, we can raise awareness and funds for the services that help parents and young people navigate mental health challenges with confidence and compassion.

Jo Daniels, Head of Community at M&S, said:“We’re incredibly proud to be working with YoungMinds to raise awareness of the help and support available for parents and carers across the UK. We know when communities come together, conversations about mental health become easier. That’s why we encourage anyone who is struggling to seek support and as we build momentum towards Hello Yellow Day on 10th October, we’re inviting everyone to sign up, wear yellow and stand with young people to show they’re not alone.” 

Lisa Zaranyika, Director of Community, Culture and Services at YoungMinds, said: “This research highlights how daunting some parents across the South West can find talking to their child about mental health. It isn’t easy. Many young people are struggling with their mental health, and the reasons can be complex. Not knowing what to say or fearing making things worse are understandable concerns, especially if parents feel ill-equipped to navigate these challenging conversations.

We want all parents and carers to feel supported and confident to speak about mental health, so they can have these crucial conversations. Through our partnership with M&S, we’re reaching more parents and young people and supporting them to have conversations about mental health. Days like Hello Yellow on October 10th can act as a catalyst to help parents, carers and young people start these important conversations. We hope as many people as possible join us by wearing yellow and showing no young person should be alone with their mental health.”

Rochelle Humes, M&S x YoungMinds ambassador and mum of three, added: “As a mum and someone who cares deeply about young people’s mental health, I’m proud to support the incredible work M&S and YoungMinds are doing together. This new research shows just how important it is for parents and carers to feel confident having open conversations and how much young people rely on those around them for support. Hello Yellow is such a powerful moment to come together, wear yellow, and show young people they’re never alone. I’ll be wearing mine on 10th October and I hope you will too - sign up, get involved, and help us make this the biggest Hello Yellow yet.”