Young people today are growing up in a world where being online is simply part of everyday life. From staying in touch with friends to relaxing, learning, and expressing themselves, the digital world brings real benefits. But it also comes with challenges.
A recent NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Barnardo’s youth engagement project set out to better understand how children and young people (aged 12-26) experience the online world and how it impacts their mental health and wellbeing.
Key findings from the report
- Privacy is the most important to young people. Young people consistently identified privacy as the
most important factor influencing whether they would use online mental health supports, and the issue
they are most worried about online. This is particularly the case with their personal information being
shared without their knowledge.
- Young people want practical, “How-to” support. They emphasised the need for simple, accessible
guidance on blocking, reporting, navigating privacy settings, and understanding platform tools.
- Time-management is the biggest reported digital skills gap. 44% of young people indicated that this
was the digital skill they found hardest to do. More than one young person designed a support around
time management in the focus groups.
- Support pathways start at home and with peers. Parents/carers and friends are the first people young
people turn to when something online upsets them. However, this varies by age. Younger participants
were more likely to turn to family, while older ones preferred their peers.
- Older young people show higher risk-taking and self-awareness. They’re both more willing to meet
online-only contacts and more likely to be concerned about the time they spend online.
- Appearance-pressure gap. Those identifying female report 3× higher worry about appearance-based
comparison than male identifying peers.
- A silent minority won’t disclose distress. 17% would talk to no-one if upset online. Notably, in this
17%, the majority of respondents were female (63%) and aged 12-17 (83%). 19% of those who said they
would talk to no one identified as having a disability with 11% reporting care experience. Anonymous
supports were the most designed by young people.
