Is Children’s Mental Health Given High Priority By Everyone?

Is children’s mental health given enough high profile?

Guidance on healthy and unhealthy food and lifestyle choices are well promoted, for many years’ schools, parents and wider organisations have supported everyone in understanding how to keep our bodies well looked after, but what about the mind?

Say ‘Hello!’ to 1decision…

I’ve taken a closer look at 1decision who can offer personalised online or face-to-face training to support your schools work on this crucial area. When discussing mental wellbeing, it is also crucial to understand the impact of the virtual world. Research published by Ofcom in September 2018, which surveyed almost 2,000 Britons, found that 45 per cent reported they had suffered some form of harm online.

Resources and guidance…

Through an integrated programme, 1decision supports and encourages children and young people to look after their bodies and minds by focussing on areas such as healthy eating, regular exercise, reduced screen time, sufficient sleep and more. The ‘Feelings and Emotions’ module helps children explore their own feelings further, as well as the feelings of those around them. The modules are regularly updated and have been adjusted to meet the needs of the new curriculum. Here is a preview of some of the key stage 2 resources:

Helping young people…

Parents, teachers and organisations such as 1decision must help children and young people build resilience to cope with the new pressures that the technology and social media brings. Again, guidance is given in the new curriculum with teaching expectations set out clearly.

Ensuring that every child has access to quality PSHE has been suggested as one way that schools can help to ease the pressure. Of course, with the new curriculum, the health aspect is compulsory but there are many more important elements of PSHE which need to be covered to truly ensure children’s wellbeing. Young people need support to enable them to communicate what may be troubling them and information on who is available to help our young people.

Their resources also actively encourage teacher’s wellbeing, through providing a full range of engaging resources which they can use to directly meet the needs of the children in their setting. Why not get in touch with 1decision to see what they can offer you?

There is another video which displays some of the assessment resources available.

Statutory Relationship and Health Education

Mental health strategies are certainly less developed and understood overall, but this has particularly been the case with children. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), reminds us:

“Unfortunately, children’s mental health hasn’t so far been seen as a priority. This is being played out in the small number of services being directed to children’s mental health…”

With the introduction of the Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools and the new statutory Relationship and Health Education Curriculum, mental health for children is at last to take centre stage! The new curriculum is very clear on the importance of this area and links directly with the work schools are already undertaking on wellbeing and mental health first aid.

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