The Children’s Commissioner has unveiled six ambitions for supporting children as one in five children say that they are worried about their mental health.
In a new report, Dame Rachel de Souza sets out six ambitions for how children can be supported to promote good mental wellbeing, and get the early help they need when problems emerge.
These ambitions include mental health support via Family Hubs and schools, the teaching of digital skills children need to be safe online, and plenty of access to safe spaces to play and have fun with their friends.
A Head Start: Early Support for Children’s Mental Health also calls for support to be available for children to access quickly in communities and online, and specialist NHS support for any child who needs it, with no child turned away.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, said: ‘I am delighted to set out my vision for improving children’s mental health. What The Big Ask showed us was that mental health is children’s biggest worry, and whilst the majority of children are okay or happy with it, we need to do more to support the one in five who are struggling.
‘The best way to prevent issues from escalating is to give families support from the very beginning. This helps children form healthy attachments and to support mums, dads and carers to give children the best start in life. Schools must also provide a safe, fun, and supportive environment for children, to help them to learn and to thrive.
‘This is a generation of children who both understand the concept of mental health and know best about what will benefit them. I hope the Government will use this report to inform the development of their Mental Health and Wellbeing Action Plan, to put children, their views and experiences, at its core.’
