Mental health in children and adolescents

Who does it affect?

• 14 per cent of children aged four to 17 years of age meet the criteria for a mental health condition over a 12-month period and a further 10 per cent are estimated to struggle with symptoms that impact their daily living
• Half of all adult mental health problems start in childhood
• Children with mental health disorders are at increased risk of developing a mental disorder as adults

Our mental health research

Our research investigates how to improve mental healthcare for children and adolescents through patient trials and studies of the organisation of care. We work with The Royal Children’s Hospital Health Services Research Unit which focuses on developing and testing new approaches to move care from hospitals to the community. We work to improve access, quality, outcomes and costs. 

Our reviews support a prevention and early intervention approach to mental health, finding that most children who develop a mental health disorder experience their earliest symptoms by age five. Experiencing mental health symptoms before age 14 predicts mental disorders in adulthood.

We found that most Australian children with mental health disorders are not receiving professional help. Girls, young children and families from non-English speaking backgrounds are the least likely to access services.

Fewer than one in four children with mental health problems saw a health professional in the 18 months after they were identified as having a problem. Families may delay seeking help hoping that their child will ‘grow out’ of it, may not know where to get help or be unable to afford it. To remove these barriers, our researchers are developing and testing models of accessible and affordable mental health care. We’re developing and evaluating child and family hubs that could extend nationwide and an online e-Hub to connect with support.

We’re trialling an intervention to reduce anxiety in children with ADHD and investigating adolescent mental health after mild traumatic brain injury.

We are actively monitoring the long-term mental health and wellbeing of Victorian children following COVID-19 research that revealed adverse mental health impacts of the pandemic and lockdowns. Our work focuses on understanding the impacts and needs of children and families and is suggesting ways forward.

Our vision

We aim to reduce mental health problems in children and adolescents by emphasising prevention and early intervention. Building the capacity of communities, schools and parents to support the mental health and wellbeing of students and improved access to better treatments are other goals which will have ongoing impacts and transform young lives.

Where to next?

We will continue to work to prevent mental health problems in children and provide support and guidance for those children struggling with their mental health. We will partner with families, health professionals, community organisations and schools to ensure children get the right help and support, in the right place and at the right time.

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