Children’s happiness is declining
The 2023 Good Childhood Report by The Children’s Society paints a concerning picture of children’s happiness and wellbeing in the UK. The data reveals a stark decline in children’s sense of wellbeing, with many reporting higher levels of anxiety and dissatisfaction with their lives. Social relationships, school environments, and concerns about the future contribute to a pervasive sense of unease among today’s youth. The pandemic was traumatic for many people and has had a profound effect on the wellbeing of children and young people. It has also had a significant effect on how we consume media. There has been a massive rise in media consumption globally. Many of us come into contact with a cacophony of content and information on a daily basis, which is amplified by algorithms on social media platforms, designed always to lure us into clicking, viewing or watching one more time. With the rise of confusing and misleading content, children and young people have become vulnerable to a distorted and polarised understanding of the world, which can foster fear, confusion, and a loss of trust, making it difficult for young people to feel a sense of belonging or security.
How misinformation can impact on children’s worldview and mental wellbeing
The development of AI has brought incredible advancements, from personalised learning experiences to new innovative tools that can help students engage more deeply with learning content. On the other hand, AI has the potential to increase disinformation and misinformation on a massive scale. Deepfakes, AI-generated news, and the manipulation of online content blur the lines between reality and fabrication, creating a breeding ground for mistrust and scepticism. The UNHCR classifies misinformation and disinformation into these 10 categories:
- Fabricated Content: Completely false content
- Manipulated Content: Genuine information or imagery that has been distorted, e.g. a sensationalist headline or populist ‘click bait’
- Imposter Content: Impersonation of genuine sources, e.g. using the branding of an established organisation
- Misleading Content: Misleading information, e.g. comment presented as fact
- False Context: Factually accurate content combined with false contextual information, e.g. when the headline of an article does not accurately reflect the content
- Satire and Parody: Humorous but false stores passed off as true. There may be no intention to harm, but readers may be fooled or mislead
- False Connections: When headlines, visuals or captions do not support the content
- Sponsored Content: Advertising or PR disguised as editorial content
- Propaganda: Content used to manage attitudes, values and knowledge
- Error: A mistake made by established new agencies in their reporting.
Source: https://www.unhcr.org/innovation/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Factsheet-4.pdf
Children are particularly vulnerable to misleading and fake content as their cognitive skills are still developing. In an age where AI-powered misinformation is increasingly sophisticated, the ability to critically assess sources of information has become a crucial skill for children and adults alike.
This challenge goes beyond media literacy. Misinformation impacts not only a young person’s understanding of the world but also their emotional wellbeing. The constant exposure to distorted realities and extreme narratives -whether about the environment, social justice, or personal identity - can lead to anxiety, isolation, and a diminished sense of agency. As the Good Childhood Report highlights, these factors contribute to a worrying decline in the mental health landscape of our young people.
Fostering belonging and community as antidotes to misinformation
So where do we go from here? The Education Endowment Foundation emphasises the importance of building a culture of community and belonging in schools. When children feel connected to their peers and to their wider community, they are more resilient, both emotionally and cognitively. Their research shows that children who feel supported within a nurturing environment are more likely to attend school regularly, which positively impacts both academic performance and overall well-being.
Schools play a pivotal role in embedding values of belonging and community into the curriculum. We must teach more than academic knowledge; we need to equip children with social-emotional skills such as empathy, teamwork, and resilience. These are critical competencies that enable children to contribute meaningfully to a diverse, interconnected world. Schools also have a responsibility to create inclusive environments, where both students and educators feel they can belong and thrive.
How to nurture curious, compassionate, critical thinkers
How do we, within the education system, ensure that we can nurture curious, compassionate and critical thinkers, who are able to thrive despite the challenges posed by AI and misinformation? We believe that the key to success and wellbeing lies in a holistic approach that combines the ability to adapt (resilience), connect meaningfully with others (empathy), and the sense of place (belonging). Research from the OECD (2023) shows that social-emotional skills like resilience and empathy are not only teachable but also highly impactful on life outcomes, influencing academic success, mental health, and career prospects. Furthermore, Demetriou & Nicholl (2021) draw upon neuroscientific research to demonstrate how empathy is a driver of creativity and collaboration, critical for navigating the complexities of the 21st century.
Educators, parents, and civic leaders must work together to create learning environments that prioritise these skills. Learning resources that encourage metacognition, where students reflect on their own thought processes and challenge their preconceptions, can play a vital role in this.
Curiosity: a fundamental step in building compassion and critical thinking
Curiosity plays a pivotal role in nurturing compassion and critical thinking because it drives us to seek deeper understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us. Curiosity intertwines with compassion and critical thinking to create a more connected and discerning mindset.
Curiosity encourages us to ask, “What is it like to be in someone else’s shoes?” This question opens us to perspectives outside of our own experiences, which is essential for compassion. When we’re curious about others’ stories, backgrounds, and feelings, we can develop empathy, understanding and valuing the experiences of others, even if we haven’t lived them ourselves.
For true critical thinking, we need to avoid quick judgments and consider diverse viewpoints. Curiosity helps us to have open-minds by sparking the desire to explore and find out, rather than assume we already know. When we’re genuinely interested in learning, we’re more willing to set aside biases and question our assumptions, which is a foundation for both rigorous analysis and compassionate understanding.
A powerful tool to help students develop critical life skills
Using resources like Lyfta can help develop critical life skills, encouraging students to question their assumptions, understand bias, and analyse information from multiple perspectives. The platform allows students to engage deeply with essential social-emotional concepts through storyworlds, which are 360-degree experiences that allow you to explore diverse stories from all around the world. Lyfta produces cinema-quality content, while maintaining the depth and authenticity in storytelling, providing a genuine and insightful viewing experience. It allows students to see elements of themselves reflected within the human stories, which can empower them to feel more confident in who they are and foster a sense of belonging to a wider global community.
Lyfta’s learning resources are linked to English National curriculum objectives, supporting specific curricular areas like PSHE and geography while addressing broader themes such as sustainability, diversity, equity, inclusion, and global citizenship.
Lyfta’s methodology is rooted in evidence-based research and fosters meaningful growth in students’ understanding of resilience, empathy, and belonging. With tailored activities, the option of reflective surveys, and structured support, Lyfta provides educators with a powerful tool to help students develop these critical life skills in a safe, supportive learning environment.
Leaving a legacy of empathy and wisdom
Leaving a positive legacy means working together to ensure the next generation not only has the intellectual tools to discern truth from falsehood but also the emotional capacity to approach the world with empathy and understanding. It is about nurturing children to be curious about the world around them, to seek to learn and understand, rather than to judge or stick to pre-conceived ideas and to be able to consider biases, seeking multiple viewpoints before accepting something as truth.
As parents, educators and civic leaders, our role should be to listen and lead with love, because only then can we create truly inclusive spaces where young people feel safe and included. If you feel seen and heard, you are more likely to feel that you belong in this world. We all have the tools and the capacity to leave a legacy of empathy and wisdom.
If you can’t see, you can’t be.
If you can’t feel, you can’t connect.
If you can’t connect, you can’t belong.
What is Lyfta?
Lyfta offers a groundbreaking solution for educators seeking to broaden their students' horizons, offering access to a range of people, places and perspectives that would otherwise be impossible. Imagine being able to teleport your entire class to a new destination every week, immersing them in the vibrant cultures and compelling stories of people from around the globe.
