Today The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) have launched The State of Child Health 2026, the third time in the last 10 years that they have used information across the UK to help decision makers know what they can do to help children and young people to be healthy, happy and well. The topics for 2026 include vaping, keeping children safe, oral health, obesity, asthma and others.
For the first time ever, this year children and young people across the UK have picked their own priority topic and looked at what needs to be done to better support their emotional health and wellbeing. They looked at the stats and views shared by more than 3,500 children and young people, then in Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England, young people volunteering with RCPCH &Us decided what needs to happen next across the UK.
They said that governments across the UK should invest in universal, early, and inclusive emotional health and wellbeing support. This support should go across education, health, community, and youth work places, helping children and young people before they get to crisis point.
Young people involved said:
“It’s amazing to see a youth led indicator in the State of Child Health for the first time. It’s crucial that we include young people in these conversations and listen to the voices of children and young people and value them in order to deliver the best health services possible for us”
Eva, Northern Ireland, RCPCH &Us Volunteer
“it was really exciting to be part of the State of Child Health, it’s really encouraging because it is empowering youth voices. That is why it is so important that children’s voices are heard as we wouldn’t have realised the needs of other areas that children and young people want support in so it’s thanks to movements like this that they will get that support so I’m really grateful. I’m excited to see how it progresses in the future”.
Aimee, Northern Ireland RCPCH &Us Volunteer
“The project brought together young people from across the nations to share experiences and shape ideas collectively. It’s been a strong example of youth-led insight informing national child health priorities, and it’s exciting to see that reflected in the final indicator”
Rebecca, Wales RCPCH &Us Volunteer
Children and young people across the UK have shared their key messages for decision makers:
Early intervention, prevention, and support in everyday settings
Schools, parents, and families all have an important role in supporting emotional wellbeing, and young people want access to clear information and support. It is important to have community services and youth work, including local youth spaces, activities and opportunities that make support easier to access, with time to rest, socialise and to be given practical tools for coping, self-care, and resilience.
Access availability, quality and equity
Services need to be simpler and more fair to access to get emotional health support. Waiting times need to be shorter, access to help should be easier, and services should be available locally and consistently across all of the UK.
People working with children and young people need to be trained to support emotional wellbeing, with staff who have the time to listen and understand. There needs to be more funding for long-term programmes, with more training to improving access for all children and young people, especially those who face additional barriers.
Holistic, person-centred, and inclusive care
Across all four nations, children and young people have talked about the importance of being seen as a whole person. Support should include mental, physical, and social wellbeing as well as recognising individual needs, identity, and context.
Approaches to care should be rights-based and inclusive, supporting all the different parts that makes us a child and young person’s identity that shapes their experiences. Children and young people want to be recognised as experts in their own experiences.
Relationships, trust, and participation
There is a need for trusted, safe, and supportive relationships with adults outside of school settings, such as youth and community workers. All adults working with children and young people need to be able to listen and understand in an inclusive, judgement-free way. Children and young people want to get involved and help to develop the solutions and settings with services.
“If young people were given more opportunities to shape services, then our emotional health and wellbeing, physical health, support with transitions, fair access, and skills for adulthood would all be met.” Young person who took part in RCPCH &Us sessions
What you can do to help
- Children and young people: speak to a trusted adult to get help with your emotional health and wellbeing.
- Families: contact services to find out about local help for you and your family and access the Hub of Hope.
- Staff and services: talk about emotional health and wellbeing with children and young people. Get their ideas about how to improve things locally.
- Government: across the UK, invest in places to go and people to speak with for children and young people, support early help to stop people getting to a crisis point.
Looking for support now? Text SHOUT to 85258 or visit www.hubofhope.co.uk and visit our resources page for more support information https://www.rcpch.us/other-resources/
