mental health matters

And right now, the mental health of our children and young people matters more than ever.

As the first truly digital generation, these young people are constantly connected, bombarded and worryingly influenced by online content that shapes how they see themselves, how they relate to others, and how they view the world around them. 

Growing up in the aftermath of a global pandemic; against the backdrop of economic uncertainty and chronic underinvestment in systemic support, unsurprisingly, their mental health is suffering.

Student mental health issues have almost quadrupled over the past decade (Office for National Statistics).

Schools, universities, and the NHS are overstretched and under-resourced to offer adequate mental health support.

Fewer than 40% of children and young people needing mental health support receive even one contact from child and adolescent mental health services (Children’s Commissioner for England).

We are facing a youth mental health crisis.

The numbers continue to rise and 

parents and caregivers are struggling to access the help their children need. 

When it comes to supporting young, developing minds, timing is everything and early intervention is essential. 

From birth to age 25, the brain undergoes rapid development. 

Neural pathways are continuously shaped by new experiences, relationships, environments, and also by adversity and trauma. 

The brain learns to regulate emotions, form connections, and develop the building blocks of identity and behaviour.

When this development is disrupted, emotional and behavioural dysregulation can profoundly impact daily life, learning, and relationships.

Concerns about a child’s behaviour, communication, or emotional wellbeing should not be dismissed or delayed because the earlier we act, the greater the opportunity to positively influence not just mental health, but physical health and future life outcomes too.

It is vital that children and young people receive mental health support that is sensitive, ethical, and developmentally informed because they are not just smaller clients; they are uniquely vulnerable. 

What happens in childhood doesn’t always stay in childhood.

It isn't early trauma itself that most profoundly shapes adult outcomes; it is the absence of empathic, attuned relational support during and after the experience itself.  

Early experiences matter.

Early mental health support is vital.