It’s Children’s Mental Health Week and the theme for 2025 is Know Yourself, Grow Yourself; looking to equip and empower children and young people across the UK to embrace self-awareness and explore what it means to them.
With 1 in 6 children aged 5-16 in England having a mental health problem and 50% of all mental health problems starting by the age of 14, we know how important it is to give children and young people the space to know and accept themselves and make their own decisions.
And by offering both practical and emotional support and tools to children, young people and the people who support them, we want everyone to feel empowered to make their own decisions, safely.
And with Everyturn recently joining forces with the Streetwise team, we’re wanting to ensure more people have greater support with their mental health and wellbeing.
Mandy Coppin, Head of Children and Young People’s Services at Everyturn Mental Health commented:
“We need to actively listen and work in partnership with our children and young people, more. By finding out what they really need, working together and by encouraging them to safely access both practical and emotional solutions, so we can we empower our next generation of young adults.
“We’re hearing from more and more young people that they need to be ‘constantly positive’ and always ‘happy’ but that’s simply not what happens in real life. We need to create and support opportunities and safe spaces where young people can share their emotions, experiences, worries and concerns with trusted adults, and explore how to cope and recover. Young People need to recognise that negatively perceived emotions such as grief and sadness are emotions that we all experience through life and that they are part of how we navigate and manage good mental health and wellbeing.
“We can’t simple dictate what’s best for young people either. If we do, we will be creating a culture of reliance and not enabling our young people to make their own safe and informed decisions. We all learn through experience and appreciate there’s a cost and consequence to every action.
“Together we’ll continue to provide vital services and support to young people, including counselling, community wellbeing, school-based support and community hubs and ensure no one struggles alone.”