Place2Be

Children’s Mental Health Week 2023 is taking take place from 6-12 February this year, with the theme Let’s Connect.

The idea of the theme is to encourage people to go out of their comfort zone and make meaningful connections for all.

The event is run and organised by the children’s mental health charity Place2Be, and have said ‘people thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing’.

It says this year its big goal is encouraging people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding and meaningful ways.

The charity said: “When we have healthy connections – to family, friends and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing.

“And when our need for rewarding social connections is not met, we can sometimes feel isolated and lonely – which can have a negative impact on our mental health.”

What is Children’s Mental Health Week?

Place2Be launched the first-ever Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015 to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health.

Now in its ninth year, the purpose is to encourage more people than ever to get involved, spread the word, and raise vital funds for children’s mental health.

It’s something schools, families and communities across the UK can get involved in and can help to raise awareness about some of the difficulties children and young people can experience.

What is mental health?

Mental health describes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

It affects how we think, feel, and act but also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

But sometimes people can experience mental health problems, which can massively affect our thinking, mood, and behaviour.

They can come from our genes, or a family history of mental health problems.

Some people who have never had mental health problems before can also develop them due to a very stressful or traumatic experience,

Why do people find it hard to talk about mental health problems?

There can be many reasons why people might find it hard to talk about mental health problems, particularly when it comes to sharing with others.

This could be because you fear people won’t understand, or might find it ‘weird’ and treat you differently as a result.

Others might think people will either make a big deal of it or else not take it seriously.

It is completely normal to have these concerns but overcoming these worries – and speaking to someone – can have a really positive impact, and in many cases can contribute to taking steps to improve your mental health.

If you are worried about mental health problems or are finding it difficult to talk about how you are feeling, there is lots of support out there.

The first thing you should do is speak to an adult that you trust about it. That might be a parent or family member, a family friend or even a teacher at school.

If you’re not sure who you would like to talk to, ring Childline on 0800 1111 who will be able to help you with how you are feeling.

What are some creative things you can do to practice self-care?

Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy physically, feel better mentally and you can help and care for yourself and others

The mental health charity Mind has said that self-care techniques and general lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms of many mental health problems.

They can also help prevent some problems from developing or getting worse.