A groundbreaking new report by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and UNICEF has revealed that a significant number of children and adolescents across the Caribbean are experiencing high levels of anxiety, depression and hopelessness.

The 2025 Caribbean Child and Youth Mental Health Research Study Report released by CARICOM underscores a regional mental health crisis, with 58% of respondents expressing a lack of optimism about the future, 56% reporting persistent worry, and 54% indicating feelings of sadness, depression or hopelessness.

Conducted in 2024, the survey engaged more than 1,500 children and young people across 17 Caribbean countries and territories.

Speaking at a virtual event recently to present the study’s findings, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, commended CARICOM and UNICEF for their critical efforts to better understand anxiety and depression among Caribbean youth.

“These findings are significant because they would help us to address some of the issues that we face across the Caribbean. Here in Guyana, we have already been examining issues related to mental health, particularly mental health among young people. I hope these findings will lead to meaningful interventions that truly support our young people. This must not be the final study. We need to close the data gaps that persist across the Region,” Minister Anthony stated.

Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, also noted the pressing challenges confronting young people that may contribute to increased levels of anxiety and depression and advocated for collaboration to tackle the issue.

“Across our Region, young people are facing increasing pressures from academic stress and unemployment, the lingering effects of the pandemic and social media challenges. Many are silently struggling, unsure where to turn. This is why prevention and early response are so critical. No single ministry can do it alone,” Jacobs said.

Programme Manager for Youth Development at CARICOM, Michele Small-Bartley, emphasised the need to enhance access to support services for young people, strengthen referral pathways, raise awareness to reduce mental health stigma, and equip parents and teachers with the skills to identify signs of poor mental health in youth.

She said many children, whether at home, in school, or within their communities, need support, and the report not only presents valuable data, but it also offers practical resources and evidence to guide the development of more tailored and impactful programmes for Caribbean people

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