Filling the Gap? Young People's Use of AI for Mental Health Support

Key Findings

• — 43% of children surveyed said they had used AI for advice or emotional support (everyday worries, relationships, difficult emotions, decision-making, mental health)
• — 11% said they had used a mental health app or chatbot for mental health support in the past 12 months; the authors found many of these children were describing general-purpose AI tools
• — Daily or near-daily use was reported by almost 9% of respondents
• — 9% of all children surveyed said an AI chatbot had influenced a decision they later questioned or regretted, and 19% were unsure whether an AI-influenced decision had helped them
• — 57% did not believe AI could provide empathy; asked whom they would turn to first if going through something difficult, 59% chose family or caregivers, 18% friends and 4% a chatbot
• — Of the 43% of children who had sought mental health support in the previous year, only 27% received the help they needed when they needed it, with larger access barriers in lower-income households

Methodology Notes

Censuswide online survey commissioned jointly by Barnardo's and NCPS, 2,000 children aged 11-17 across the UK, described as nationally representative by age, gender and region, fielded April-May 2026; plus interviews with four young people aged 17-24 involved in Barnardo's services. 17-page report. The 43% AI-use figure is the inverse of 'Never' to 'How often, if at all do you use AI chatbot for advice or emotional support?'. The report notes that the 'mental health app or chatbot' question was intended to capture purpose-built tools but many children described general-purpose AI. Self-report, cross-sectional. The press release gives 40% for children who tried to access professional mental health support in the previous year, while the report text gives 43%; the report figure is used here.

Sources