This week we have been involved in the National drive to raise awareness of childrens mental health. Over the years the stigma around mental health has been chipped away, however the more we talk about it, the quicker we can normalise it and help people understand that mental health is as important as physical health and often the 2 are linked. Mental health can effect 1 in 5 young people, and thats based on those who are willing to talks about it. Some statistics show:
- 20% of adolescents may experience a mental health problem in any given year.1
- 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14 and 75% by age 24.2
- 10% of children and young people (aged 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem3, yet 70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.4
It doesnt take alot to support someone to improve their mental health and what can be done can vary greatly. Some of the work we have done this week includes sitting having a cuppa with a young person(s), showing that they are listened to and cared about.
Peer support groups where young people have been able to share issues they have with their peers in a safe environment.
We took a group of young women GoKarting, offering them a chance to have fun and try something new.
Last night we worked with a group of young people and other agencies to begin to create a leaflet showing what sort of support is available for young people.
How you support someone with their mental health is down to each person, the important thing is we continue to talk about it
