Child psychotherapist warns of the rise of loneliness among young adults

CHILDREN AND YOUNG people are struggling with loneliness and a lack of social connection, a leading child and adolescent psychoanalyst has warned.

Colman Noctor said the overall findings from 20 years of research from the Growing Up in Ireland study show the importance of connection and community for children – two things he said are increasingly eroding in Ireland. 

Minister for Children Norma Foley launched the anniversary campaign of Ireland’s national longitudinal study of children and young people today at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin.

Speaking at today’s event, Noctor said that the key evidence from Growing up in Ireland is that children thrive when they have connection, belonging, strong relationships and community in their lives.

But Noctor said that as our society is now “increasingly individualised”.

“Community structures are weaker than those of previous generations. Time spent together is often replaced with time spent in part, and there’s a significant challenge for the next generation to maintain meaningful connection,” he said.

Noctor said that in his clinical work with children and young people, anxiety has been the main issue presented over the last 10 years. But he said that in the last two years this has been replaced by loneliness for those aged 18-24.

He said the challenge to improve social connection will only grow in the next 20 years due to the development of technologies like AI.

Time capsule

Noctor pointed to letters written by nine-year-old children in 2007 for a time capsule to highlight the importance of connection and community. The children were asked to write about what could be done to improve childhood in Ireland, and the most common answer was more playgrounds and facilities.

During today’s launch, senior researcher of the study, Aisling Murray, highlighted an answer from a 9-year-old girl in particular, who said she wanted a “a big fun centre for children” and a “playground and grass”.

“We need to protect the spaces for young people to gather in the real world. She was onto something 20 years ago that we are really starting to realise,” Noctor said.

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The Growing up in Ireland study, which is jointly run by the Department of Children and the Central Statistics Office, aims to inform public policy in Ireland.

It has surveyed 32,000 children and young people – three generations of children in Ireland: those born in 1998, 2008 and 2024.

The study follows the same children over time to see the impact of key transition points in their lives and provides insights into these children’s physical health, mental health and education.

Speaking at the event, Norma Foley praised the study and said it has been important for “giving a voice to the children and young people of Ireland”.

“When we get it right for children, we ultimately get it right for society”.

New research

Charlotte Silke presented the latest study coming from the Growing up in Ireland data, which highlighted the factors that help improve outcomes for vulnerable children.

For the study, children were grouped into categories which assessed their vulnerability at age nine, and were then evaluated until the age of 25 to see how their early lives impacted their wellbeing. 

Silke said the study shows that early vulnerability shapes wellbeing outcomes. 

Over one in four children were struggling at age 25, meaning they have poorer than average functioning across wellbeing domains.

40% of children in at risk groups at age nine were categorised as struggling at age 25, in comparison to only 24% of the children identified as being in a low risk group.

However, Silke said these findings also show that early adversity does not mean a child’s trajectory is fixed, as well over half of those in at risk groups aged nine were doing well at 35.

The author said protective factors like high levels of educational attainment, stronger teacher support, better peer relationships, less fighting between parents and children and participation in extracurriculars were all associated with a greater likelihood of doing well aged 25.

Silke said these findings highlight the importance of short-term and sustained support for all children.

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