Chart 5 in this section showed a clear dip in satisfaction with friends and family between 2020 and 2021, and the chart above shows this too. Although it’s still relatively small numbers, we’ve seen an increase in the number of 10-17 year olds who are feeling unhappy about their relationships with family and friends since 2020, and the pandemic might be the culprit here.

Those lockdowns were pretty intense, weren't they? For LGB+ young people this impact was amplified. A study from December 2020 to January 2021 found that only 27% felt very close to their families, compared to 50% of non-LGB+ young people.¹ It's a poignant reminder that not everyone's home is a safe haven.

And the percentage of young people who aren't too thrilled with their friendships has been on the rise too. In 2016, it was at 4.5%, but by 2020, it shot up to 11.5%. And although it dipped down to 6.9% in 2021, it's still higher than pre-pandemic levels and was on the rise again in 2022. We’ll have to wait and see whether this more recent rise is continuing a trend that preceded 2020.