Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 3 February to 9 February each year. For the past 11 years, the week has been organised, facilitated and run by Place2Be.
It is estimated that in the UK alone, 1 in 6 children aged between 5 and 16 are likely to suffer from or have a mental health problem, that being a statistic which is in the last three years has increased by 50%. The affects of mental health within children are crippling and adverse. Despite this, in a study undertaken by Mind, it was found that the majority of young people still do not undertake mental health well enough, stopping them from being able to address the same or approach the appropriate professionals for intervention. As a result of this, nearly 1 in 5 young people said that they felt excluded because they were spoken down to when their issues were not addressed correctly.
Place2Be.
Place2Be is a children’s mental health charity, which has over thirty years’ experience working with children across the country in the UK. Their work is centred around pupils,
families, schools and staff, allowing them to provide mental health support through one-to- one and group counselling sessions. Place2Be extend their knowledge and work, which is backed by years of research and tried and tested methods within the children mental health sphere, to offer expert training and qualifications to other members within the community.
Schools and communities play a pivotal role in supporting children’s mental health. Teachers and school staff are often the first to notice changes in a child’s behaviour and well-being given their daily communication. It is crucial that schools have access to the resources and training needed to address mental health concerns effectively.
Improving children’s and young peoples mental health – Place2Be
For children, school should be spaces where children feel safe, respected, and valued. Place2Be work specifically with ‘partner schools’ to offer a range of different support and
services, contributing to a whole-school approach to mental health. This allows for schools within the UK to develop not only their understanding of child mental health, but also the support systems they can extend and offer. This is proven in the fact that Place2Be found that 78% of children between the ages of 4-11 improved their mental health, and 91% of children between the ages of 11-18 improved their mental health after one-to-one counselling sessions.
Know Yourself, Grow Yourself
Each year, Children’s Mental Health Awareness week takes on a new theme, and in 2025,Place2Be have joined forces with Here4You to explore, identify and understand the
importance of children being aware as to their own feelings and being able to express their emotions. This is supported by Walt Disney, through the characters of Pixar’s Inside
Out/Inside Out 2, which saw the important topic of children’s mental health reach the media globally in a positive light.
Helping Children to Know Themselves, Grow Themselves
Practical Steps for Supporting Children’s Mental Health
1. Open Communication: Create a safe space for children to talk. Create an environment where it is okay to speak about feelings , anxieties and worries without fear of judgment.
2. Emotional Resilience: Encouraging children to build emotional resilience without teaching them to avoid their feelings helps them navigate life’s inevitable challenges, through teaching mindfulness, problem-solving skills, and coping mechanisms.
3. Regular Routines: Such as sleep, eating, and exercise help to maintain mental well-being. Studies show that physical activity reduces anxiety and depression and provides children with an opportunity to grow connections with their peers.
4. Early Intervention: Early identification of mental health concerns can have a profound impact on a child’s well-being. With the right support, children can learn to manage their feelings rather than bury them, so that professionals can intervene and assist.
5. Encourage Connection: Children need a strong support network to thrive. Encourage them to build relationships with trusted adults, friends, and peers. Social connections are essential for emotional well-being, and positive relationships can act as a buffer against stress. This will allow children to work on their own identity and how they interact with others in a comfortable way.
6. Identifying Positive Role Models: With the rise in social media, and the use of different platforms by young people across the UK, it is significant for children to be able to be aware of what is positive to consume, and the affects of social media on their mental health. Monitoring your child’s intake and media consumption is key to being able to offer them the appropriate support.
As we look ahead to Children’s Mental Health Week 2025, we are reminded of the crucial importance of supporting and nurturing the mental health of young people. Place2Be reminds us that Children’s Mental Health Week serves as a time for reflection, awareness, and action surrounding the emotional well-being of children and adolescents. In 2025, the week will hold even more significance as we continue to navigate a world that has changed dramatically over the past few years with the rise of social media and the online world of expectation.
