Cardiff University The pandemic increased mental health problems among vulnerable children, with financial strain on parents a major factor, a study by Cardiff University has found. During the pandemic, researchers interviewed 142 five to 10-year-olds who had been identified by schools as “at risk” for mental health problems, and they then compared this to pre-pandemic data. Mental health problems, particularly anxiety, increased “significantly”, the study found. There was a strong link between financial stress and mental health problems in parents, which was in turn associated with worsening mental health issues among children, the researchers discovered. Families whose financial circumstances have been seriously impacted by lockdown need monetary support and extra mental health support, they concluded.