Children’s Mental Health Week
Nurturing the minds of the youngest among us, fostering well-being and emotional strength, ensures a brighter future for our children.
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.
How to Observe Children’s Mental Health Week
Those who are looking for ways to observe Children’s Mental Health Week may consider some of these options for getting involved with the events:
Connect with a Child
Parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches, neighbors and so many other people in the life of a child should be aware of the risk that a child could suffer with mental health issues alone. In honor of Children’s Mental Health Week, become educated and aware of various signs that a child may be struggling, and then learn what resources are available to them.
Of course, in the midst of difficulties, it is vitally important to exercise kindness and compassion, even when these struggles come along with difficult behaviors. A child who knows that they have connection and care is much more likely to feel safe to share and subsequently receive the care they desperately need.
Learn Some Statistics About Children’s Mental Health
Many people are not aware of the struggles that children all over the world are experiencing related to mental health, but it’s important to get the word out in order to help. Consider some of these statistics when observing Children’s Mental Health Week:
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According to research in the UK, 10% of children between the ages of five and sixteen years have a mental health concern that is clinically diagnosable.
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In any given year, 20% of adolescents may experience some sort of problem with mental health, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and other serious concerns.
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50% of mental health problems are established by the age of 14 and 75% have onset by the age of 24.
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70% of the children and adolescents who do experience diagnosable mental health problems have not received appropriate interventions at an early enough age.
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