Action for Children’s Post

📚🦉📚 Can you help us to reach the children in our community?📚🦉📚 You may or may not know the difficulties our young children face and the impact that mental health difficulties can have on them. And so many are crying out for mental health support ... "What does mental health mean? Mental health is an individual's cognitive, behavioural and emotional well being (Mind,2020). It's something we all have - including every child and young person. "Childline states that: 1 in 4 people will struggle with their mental health at some point." "The NSPCC reported that Over half of all Childline counselling sessions in 2022/23 related to mental or emotional health and well being. 31,000 of counselling sessions on mental health were about stress and anxiety. More than 14,000 children were counselled about low mood and unhappiness." 📚🦉📚 To help give support to so many deserving children, I am currently looking to support local schools and nurseries in our local community and as far and wide as possible 📚🦉📚 I run Come Read with Owl Children's Bookshop in Whitfield, Kent (in partnership with Usborne.) I work with children of all ages and have a teenager at home 🏡 Mental Health affects all children regardless of need or upbringing so it is so important that we help in the support for our children. These mental health books are vital resources and can help so many children far and wide in schools in our local community and communities further afield. They will help in their development, skills and emotional well being. 💭 Would you or a business you know pledge a bundle to supply books for our communities children?! In return for your support, the books will feature a 'donated by...' book plate with your name or business name on, the school will also be asked to thank you in their newsletter and I will include you in my social media reports and any local press coverage💭 To anyone who can help offer support be that a like and share, an individual, group or business pledge, I would be so grateful as this much needed support will go a little way to helping the children in our communities 💙🦉💙 💭 If you can help please comment below or contact me directly, let's share this post as far and wide as possible.💭 Stay safe, be kind 💙🦉💙

We cannot ignore the mental health crisis in our communities. It's encouraging to see organizations taking action to address this issue, especially in underserved communities, and with children. Early intervention is key to overcoming the stigma associated with seeking mental health services. Children should be taught from a young age that it's okay to not be okay and that seeking help is a sign of strength. Let's work together to create a culture where mental health is a top priority for everyone. #mentalhealthawareness #earlyintervention #endthestigma

It’s Mental Health Week, and an opportunity to shed light on the mental health of care leavers! The blog below outlines some of the barriers care leavers are experiencing, and the actions the government is taking. ➡ https://lnkd.in/dMeAsqY5 ⬅ #childrensmentalhealthweek #mentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #careleavers Together Trust

Rising Concern about Mental Health Among Young People It's an unfortunate reality we cannot ignore: mental health issues among young people are on the rise. ❗In 2020, 4.1 million adolescents in the U.S had a major depressive episode, a statistic that's as staggering as it is heartbreaking. ❗Feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased by a whopping 40% among high school students from 2009 to 2019. These aren't just figures, they're a call to action. We need to act now and act decisively to mitigate the growing mental health crisis among our youth. ✅ Reach out to a young person today to let them know you're there. #mentalhealth #connection #nonprofit

🔹Childrens Mental health Weeks 5th-11th February🔹 Childhood should be a time of wonder and delight! But sometimes, through various challenges and hardships, whether from family problems, bullying or other difficulties, young people and adolescents may face mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and more. Children’s Mental Health Week is here to educate and inform the public about the struggles that many young people can have, as well as providing resources for how to intervene or seek help. History of Children’s Mental Health Week The original Children’s Mental Health Week was observed in 2015 when it was founded by Place2B, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the improvement of mental health among children. Starting in the UK, the event has gained traction and is now celebrated in other places throughout the world. Each year, Children’s Mental Health Week is observed with a dedication to raising awareness about the struggles and difficulties that even some very young people have. Convinced that children do not need to struggle alone, the idea for the week is that educators, counselors, parents and others in the community will work together to make a difference in the lives of children who are struggling. Building a community of support will help all children have access to the mental health resources they might need, whether today or in the future. https://lnkd.in/eNtRVRqW #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek #childmentalhealth #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #parenting #mentalhealthmatters #anxiety #childanxiety #childdevelopment #therapy #children

As a parent, there are few things more terrifying than the fear of losing your child. But what happens when that fear is not due to a physical ailment or an accident, but a mental health crisis? What happens when the threat is not external, but internal? Tonight my 16 year old told me that a close friend expressed a desire to end their life to the point where the knives in their home have been hidden. The fear is palpable. It's a fear I know all too well, having experienced it firsthand as a parent. I know that no amount of words can make a difference. There’s no magic phrase that will make the pain stop. For the parent or the child. The mental health of our teenagers and youth has taken a drastic turn for the worse since the onset of Covid-19. My son asked me tonight, “What changed in 2020?” He continued, “Yeah, Covid happened, but like something else happened in the world.” And he’s not wrong. We are divided. As a community. As a nation. As a people. The world did change. But how are we going to fix it? The first step is acknowledging the problem. The pandemic has not only brought a physical health crisis but also a mental health crisis. The isolation, the fear, the uncertainty - all these factors have contributed to a surge in mental health issues among our youth. The second step is to break the stigma surrounding mental health. We need to create an environment where our children feel safe to express their feelings, their fears, and their struggles. We need to let them know that seeking help is not a sign of weakness but of strength. The third step is to provide resources and support. Schools, communities, and families need to work together to provide mental health resources for our youth. This could be in the form of counseling services, support groups, or even just a safe space to talk. Lastly, we need to listen. Really listen. Our children are telling us that they're hurting. We need to hear them, validate their feelings, and help them navigate through their struggles. The world did change in 2020. But it's not too late to change it back, or better yet, to change it for the better. Let's start by addressing the mental health crisis among our youth. Let's start by making sure that our children know that they're not alone, that their feelings matter, and that help is available. Because no child should ever feel so hopeless that they contemplate ending their life. And no parent should ever have to live in fear of losing their child to a battle they're fighting within themselves. Let's stand together, united, to fight this battle. Because our children's lives depend on it. #mentalhealthmatters #youthmentalhealth #endthestigma #providesupportinschool

Interesting look at intergenerational trauma - and how some mental health leaders are healing the legacy of boarding school survivors by blending Indigenous healing with behavioral health therapy. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the leading mental health issues in Native communities are anxiety and depression. While this is often traced back to abusive schools and federal policies, there just aren't enough culturally appropriate services. Now a coalition of mental health providers, social workers, and community advocates are calling for a holistic, community-centered response that can help heal the scars of the past and build stronger communities. https://lnkd.in/gpZdRe4s #mentalhealth #indigenoushealth #behavioralhealth #traumainformedcare

Actions speak louder than words... 🎬 And my grumpy guy post from last week was just words. So I thought I'd follow up with a little bit of action. 📉 #School budgets were set to increase by £370m going into 2024, however have been frozen.  ☹️ This along with other cuts and reduced funding has left schools in a tight spot, in some cases restricting their ability to provide even the most basic of support for pupils. To do our bit, Book of Beasties would like to provide 20 schools with resources and training to help give children access to alternative provision. But who should these 20 schools be? Let us know: 🏠 Schools from the lowest income areas 👨👩👧👦 Highest rates of #SEND or #Pupil Premium 🗺️ Highest intake of children seeking asylum 🫶 Or simply a school that really deserves it **We will provide our wellbeing resources and virtual, or where possible in-person training** If you can, please share with your network, comment with your schools nomination, tag a teacher or send me a DM with your suggestions. Note: 20 schools is no where near as many as we would like, but we're a small business. If anyone would like to add to this, help us create a care package, reach more schools we'd love for you to join us, send me a message. YoungMinds | Mind | Calm | Place2Be | Action for Children | Achieving for Children | Change Grow Live | Action for Happiness | Child Bereavement UK | Caudwell Children | Department for Education | FUNdamentally Children & Dr Gummer's Good Play Guide | Children 1st | Kidscape | KidsKnowBest | Anyone else?

A great article about the power of social prescribing - non-clinical prescriptions - in improving youth mental health and the need for a cohesive strategy. At Lifespace Trust we see the power that mentoring has on young people. Our mentors help them to develop techniques for coping with their individual challenges. When reflecting on their mentoring, young people tell us we've helped by: "having the freedom to speak my mind without feeling judged" and "[increasing] understanding about my well-being and how to support myself" https://lnkd.in/ebAGHQYt