3 minute read
The website prioritising children's mental health
A legacy of the Heads Together campaign, ‘Mentally Healthy Schools’ offers free guidance and resources for parents, teachers, and professionals.
People can have a strong reaction to the term, ‘mental health’,” explains counselling psychologist Rina Bajaj.
“Often people think about extremes, but just like our physical health, we all have mental health - and of course it’s on a spectrum.
“With the Mentally Healthy Schools website, the focus is on early intervention, and thinking about health holistically, in order to help people better understand and promote children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.”
Mentally Healthy Schools launched in 2018. It was developed in partnership between the Anna Freud Centre, Young Minds, Place2Be, and The Royal Foundation as a legacy project of the Heads Together campaign.
The free website offers a reliable source of quality-assured information, advice, and practical resources for parents, carers, teachers, and professionals - all created by clinicians and education professionals.
The Anna Freud Centre - a mental health charity for children, young people, and their families - run the site.
“Early intervention is key to giving young people the best start in life,” explains Rina, head of training for the Mental Health & Wellbeing Schools team.
“One in 10 primary school children, aged 5-10, has an identifiable mental health condition - that's around three children in every class.
While more than half of all mental health problems are established by the age of 14, the factors that can put a child more at risk of developing a mental health problem can often be identified much earlier.
“Of course, we’ve all just been through an incredibly unique year, and so we’ve developed all kinds of Covid-specific material on the site for use in schools and at home.”
The site's resources are aimed at primary and secondary aged children, with tips and guidance for parents and carers, and downloadable lesson plans for teachers.
“It will be a while before we understand the full impact of the pandemic on children’s mental health, but we already know there are indications of an increase in generalised anxiety, fluctuations in mood, body image, and eating disorders,” explains Rina.
“While some pupils will bounce straight back into school life, others will find the transition difficult, so it’s about being mindful of that.
“With primary-aged children, it can be difficult to identify anxiety, as children of this age are more likely to show us how they’re feeling before they’re able to tell us.
“As adults, we need to be on the lookout for changes in young people’s usual functioning that could signal an issue - being clingier, or more withdrawn, or a change in the way they interact with their friends. Also, very young children might notice physical symptoms before they can identify the emotions, so be on the lookout for things like unexplained stomach aches, or headaches.
“The site has all kinds of guidance for parents, carers or professionals dealing with anxious children - from not minimising the child’s feelings, and being clear about the facts of a situation, to teaching them coping strategies, and helping them to understand their emotions.“
It’s important that they understand who their trusted adults are, as well as the different things that can help them relax, such as mindfulness, focused breathing, or creative activities.
“The site also explains that parents and carers need to think about the way they model their own emotions and feelings, as children are more likely to notice what we do than we realise, and often see us, more than they hear us.
“Children don’t exist in a vacuum, so it’s important to ensure we have guidance and tips for parents, carers and staff on the site too, so that we’re all working together as a community for improved wellbeing across the board.”
