younger. Your brain has the capacity to absorb and be receptive to the skills you learn through counselling that will help you in later life.


There’s still a discrepancy between the numbers of males and females seeking support


Sadly, there is still a discrepancy between the number of males and females who seek support from counselling. “We see this right across the board from school age children up to adults,” explains Kayleigh. “Figures are massively weighted towards that and what we see with male callers in our Employment Assistance Programme world is when it’s at crisis point. It’s men who are the ones with the trauma related cause, and we’re going to be stuck in a bit of a cycle because they are a large proportion of the caregivers of the young people of today. There is change afoot. We’re helping to ensure younger male parents are going to be typically more liberated and empowered with their children in speaking freely about what they’re feeling and offering support. But the generational issue that we’ve got here and now is something that really needs attention.”


Long waiting lists means support isn’t there when needed


Sadly, communication between adults and young people is only part of the problem. Long waiting times for professional mental health support means the help isn’t there when needed. A report this time last year by the Royal College of Psychiatrists said that extensive wait times meant more than three quarters of mental health patients were seeking help from emergency services, with 43 per cent saying long wait times lead to their mental health getting worse. It can be months and months before those who need support can access help via the NHS and that depends if they meet certain thresholds. If they have what is determined to be low level depression or anxiety but are high functioning, it’s unlikely they’ll be offered support. But these are the people that are really at risk of developing serious mental health conditions. The waiting list for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) provided by the NHS goes up to 24 months in some areas and to qualify you might have to be at ‘severe’ level. It also depends on where you live, some areas are more affluent and so access to support is a lot easier.


Recognising and mitigating early signs of mental health issues


Despite variations in how mental health issues manifest from child to child, the value of early discovery can’t be underestimated.


Early warnings


Recognising early signs of mental health disorders in children and young people could save a life and make a significant positive difference to their mental wellness. These can vary significantly from child to child, but there are common ones to look out.


They include sudden and significant mood and behaviour changes, unexpected poor academic behaviour and performance (usually indicating they are worrying about something else rather than focusing on their academic studies), changes in social habits (like who they play with in the playground and how, for example, or being less


September 2024 www.education-today.co.uk 29


FEATURE FOCUS: MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING Encourage their interests


motivated for school and social opportunities), and sleeping problems or difficulty sleeping, which may be evident as tiredness in class. These can manifest in many ways, but some early indicators might include sudden irritability, a change in the quality of their school work, becoming withdrawn or appearing sad or worried for a protracted period, changes in their eating habits and, of course, any evidence of self- harming.


First responders


Teachers are often the first to witness a problem, because disclosing at school can feel safer than doing so at home. You may not be certain you are interpreting signs correctly, but this is very much a case where it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you are concerned about a child’s or young person’s mental health, you should always take active steps to alleviate and mitigate their worries.


Talk now rather than later Don’t wait for children to speak to you, if you feel as though the child or young person has a problem or needs to talk, initiate the conversation. If you are concerned about their behaviour, sit them down in a calming atmosphere and approach the topic with sensitivity.


Take them seriously


It’s important to listen and understand the value of what the child or young person has to say. Because they may not know how to articulate the emotions they’re feeling, it can be easy to underestimate the weight of their words and brush off what could be a cry for help. This can lead to the child feeling unheard and unsupported.


Interests can be a necessary outlet for children and young people. Whether that be creative, physical, or practical interests, if the activity is positive and safe it should be nourished. Support and actively promote their favourite hobbies and show interest. They will begin to feel comfortable and be more open with you.


Normalise talking about emotions Creating an open and honest environment surrounding emotions, feelings and communication is vital when safeguarding a child’s or young person’s mental health. Discussing emotions and feelings regularly creates a positive communication culture and relationship around tough subjects. Once this is established, children and young people will feel more comfortable and willing to discuss what is troubling them.


Adults often get scared that they’re going to say the wrong thing or that they’re going to cause offence, but the worst strategy of all is to say nothing.


A culture of care


As the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved. Remember that any problem shared with you becomes a burden for you too, and you will not be able to sustain supporting a child or young person coping with their mental health issues if you are struggling with your own. Make time for self-care, and ensure you work with and through the designated professionals in and around your school to share the burden even further. Remember that other saying: It takes a village to raise a child.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48