Children's Mental Health & Wellbeing
Children’s Mental Health Week
Children's Mental Health Week 2025 takes place between 3–7th February 2025. This year's theme is 'Know yourself, grow yourself'. As part of this special week children can wear a scarf to school on Thursday like Harold the Giraffe who is the mascot for our PSHE scheme- SCARF.
The UN Convention on The Rights of the Child states that "Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. "
As adults, we should empower children and young people, and provide them with time, space, and opportunities to express themselves. We must also ensure they have opportunities to influence aspects of their worlds that directly - or indirectly - affect their wellbeing. Empowering children and young people can have a positive impact on their health and wellbeing. For example, children and young people who feel that their voices are heard - and that what they say makes a difference - have higher levels of self-efficacy and selfesteem. They also have a greater sense of community – and as people become empowered, they can work together to create positive changes for themselves and for others.
https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/families/
This year one of the areas in the Lady Bankes Primary School development plan is to ensure that everyone in our school has access to a positive mental health toolkit. We successfully achieved the Optimus Education Wellbeing Award in association with the National Children's Bureau in November 2024. We will now continue to embed the initiatives that we put in place that have been successful and implement new ones to help to support our children and families.
Useful websites, strategies and resources.
Signposting Resources for Parents-Carers from Hillingdon
https://leap.hillingdon.gov.uk/article/8707/Signposting-Resources-for-Professionals-Parents--Carers
As parents and carers, you play an important role in your child’s mental health. Check out these free resources for families from Place2be.
https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/families/
These fun interactive videos are an amazing free resource designed for pupils to enjoy movement, mindful moments and encourage feelings of calm.
https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/schools/primary-school/bbc-moodboosters
Mental Health toolkit
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/YfRzhXDKSZQxFVn30TlXBj/your-mental-health-toolkit
Wellbeing apps
https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/wellbeing-apps-guide-for-kids
This self-care plan walks primary-aged children through a series of steps, helping them create a simple self-care plan that works for them. It helps children identify activities that they can use to support their mental health.
https://www.annafreud.org/schools-and-colleges/resources/my-self-care-plan-primary/
This A-Z guide gives you advice on how to help your child with their feelings and behaviour, as well as mental health conditions and life events.
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide
This is an online resource for families with specific support in how to talk to your child about key worries: https://www.mindedforfamilies.org.uk/young-people
If you are looking to develop relaxation for your child, have a look at this website: https://www.relaxkids.com/
For support and advice around building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, visit the Change4Life website: https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/
For advice and support for concerns around bullying, cyberbullying, depression, anxiety and many more, please visit the NSPCC website: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/
For further information and support, around mental health, please visit: Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/