Mental health charity: “Rising calls to helpline show need for support”

Young Minds is a children and young people’s mental health charity. Its mission is “to see a world where no young person feels alone with their mental health, and gets the mental health support they need, when they need it, no matter what.”

Young Minds is one of the charities being supported by this year’s Guardian and Observer Christmas appeal. The quote at the top of this post is from The Guardian. Demand for the charity’s services has been higher than ever as a result of the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. In its recent survey covering the mental health impact of the pandemic, Young Minds said:

“The pandemic has put a huge strain on many young people who were already struggling with their mental health, because of traumatic experiences, social isolation, a loss of routine and a breakdown in formal and informal support.”

Young Minds, Covid-19 autumn 2020 survey

However, problems of mental ill-health long predate Covid-19. Young Minds’ 2018 report A New Era for Young People’s Mental Health Young Minds begins with a stark message: “There is a crisis in mental health support for children and young people.”

Much of the work of Young Minds and other such charities deals with the consequences of mental ill-health. Life-based learning promotes good mental health and emotional wellbeing by raising the profile of emotions education in primary schools.

The aim is to transform mental health and wellbeing. As children grow up with greater self-confidence and stronger self-identity, coupled with a better understanding of the emotional dynamic operating within them, so they will be more emotionally resilient.

Main image courtesy of Design_Miss_C from Pixabay.