14-05-2025
Irish teens ‘succeeding in school, struggling in life', expert says amid ‘stark' least happy in developed world report
IRISH teenagers are among the least happy in high-income countries, despite leading the world in academic skills.
Almost one in three 15-year-olds report life satisfaction across the country, the UNICEF report revealed.
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More than one in four children and adolescents are overweight or obese in Ireland
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While Ireland ranks first for academic performance, it falls to 24th for adolescent
Ireland's youth suicide rate also stands at 6.4 per 100,000 which is above the international average.
The Report Card 19: Child Wellbeing at Risk in an Unpredictable World compares the wellbeing of
Executive Director of UNICEF Ireland, Peter Power, said: "These findings are stark.
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"Ireland's teens are succeeding in school, but struggling in life.
"We must match our investment in academic achievement with the same urgency for mental and emotional wellbeing."
The report analysed changes from 2018 to 2022, a period marked by the
Across 26 countries with available data, life satisfaction among adolescents declined in 22.
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School shutdowns, which lasted anywhere from three to twelve months, disconnected young people from peers, teachers, and critical support systems.
More than one in four children and adolescents are
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When combined with constant exposure to unrealistic online body standards, the mental and physical health pressures on young people are intensifying.
Head of Advocacy at UNICEF Ireland, Aibhlin O'Leary, added: "The pandemic has deepened existing inequalities, setting a troubling precedent for children's wellbeing - particularly among those from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds.
"To respond meaningfully, we need a unified, child-centred strategy that tackles these disparities head-on and supports every child, at every stage of their development."
UNICEF Ireland is urging the government to take targeted actions to protect child wellbeing, including increasing investment in in-school mental health services, particularly in disadvantaged areas, and drastically reducing waiting times for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
UNICEF Ireland targeted actions:
Other targeted actions include:
Improving physical health by enforcing strict nutritional standards for school meals to ensure all children, especially in disadvantaged areas, have access to nutritious, balanced meals; regulation of the marketing of unhealthy foods to children, in line with public health priorities, must also be prioritised.
Strengthening digital resilience and body image education within the Junior Cycle curriculum, ensuring these topics are comprehensively delivered to address the harmful mental health effects of online pressures and unrealistic beauty standards.
Engaging children and young people in conversations about their experiences with mobile phones and digital technology, fostering digital literacy and awareness of their rights in the online space. This includes working with them to identify and address the challenges they face online, and developing solutions that promote their mental health and overall wellbeing
A spokesperson added: "UNICEF warns that the aftershocks of the pandemic, combined with economic pressures and digital harm, are reversing decades of progress in child wellbeing.
"Governments are urged to centre children in recovery plans and ensure young people have a voice in shaping their futures."
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The mental and physical health pressures on young people are intensifying
Credit: Getty
