Colman Noctor: We need to prioritise the mental health of our young people in 2022

The voice of the child has been notably absent in pandemic discussions up to now

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When we reflect on the year that’s been, it is tempting to consider it as a 22-month period rather than the traditional 12-month year. The arrival of the pandemic in March 2020 was a landmark moment, signalling the end of an era and the beginning of another. Whether Covid-19 has changed us irreversibly is up for debate, but in my view, it has left a significant psychological mark that will take several years to reverse.

I have been asked many times about the impact of Covid on children’s mental health and if it will have a lasting effect on their development. At the start of the pandemic, I answered by saying, ‘it depends how long it lasts’. As we find ourselves in the fourth wave, we can begin to better understand the potential long-term impact.