Students in almost three-quarters (73.4%) of primary schools in England will have had no access to the new mental health support teams (MHSTs) by the end of 2024.

And with the research revealing that one in five children aged between seven and 16 thought to have a mental health disorder, now is more important than ever for children to get the mental health support they require – which isn’t always provided at schools.

One way that young people could improve their wellbeing is by moving to online learning, as 1 in 4 (24%) parents do not believe that online learning is bad for children’s social development and over a quarter (26.8%) would consider enrolling their child in online learning.

The new research by King’s InterHigh also showed that 76% of parents agree they would like their children to have flexible learning to allow them to pursue their dream career, and 70% would like their children to learn at a time that suits them best. The majority (97%) want their children to be able to speak confidently and openly about their mental health.

However, the research also shows that most parents have mixed feelings about online learning, with 45% of parents aged 55+ saying they wouldn’t enroll their child in online learning.