Children's Mental Health Week

Children's Mental Health Week is an annual campaign that raises awareness and promotes positive mental health in children and young people. The campaign is coordinated by Place2Be, and this year's theme is 'My Voice Matters', which aims to encourage children and young people to express themselves and understand that their thoughts and opinions always matter.

By listening to the voices of our children and young people, we can ensure they feel valued. Listening, and ensuring our children and young people feel heard will also help us to gain valuable insights, in turn helping us to make informed decisions with their best interests at heart.

As well as raising awareness, the campaign aims to break the stigma surrounding mental health in children. If mental health issues are identified and addressed early on, it can prevent them from escalating into more significant problems in the future.

It is crucial to prioritise the mental health of our children and young people. According to figures from the World Health Organisation, 1 in 5 children worldwide experience mental health issues, and 75% of mental health conditions appear before the age of 24.

One of the many roles of a foster carer is to create a safe environment for the children and young people in their care. It is important to establish a routine, for both foster carers and foster children. A lot of children and young people in care have had little structure and stability in their lives so having a daily routine can provide them with a sense of security and settlement.

We should also encourage our children and young people to participate in activities they enjoy, as well as staying active as physical health is just as important and can have a knock-on effect on mental health.

If a child feels secure, they will feel more able to express themselves and talk about their feelings.  Every child and young person deserves to know that their voice matters. For us to do that, we need to ensure that our children and young people know their mental well-being is taken seriously and they are listened to, understood, and supported.