“My Voice Matters”: Children’s Mental Health Week

Children’s Mental Health Week (5^th – 11^th February 2024) serves as a reminder of the importance of nurturing the emotional and psychological growth of the children we care for.

Even though you may think the children in your care may be too young to have mental health issues, the Mental Health Foundation quote:

“70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age.” – Source

By prioritising mental health from an early age, care providers contribute significantly to creating a healthy environment, fostering not only the child’s current well-being but also shaping their future mental and emotional landscape.

“My Voice Matters”

Place2Be’s theme for this week is “My Voice Matters” – empowering children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves. Encouraging children to express themselves creates a foundation for building resilience, self-awareness, and a positive sense of identity.

“During Children’s Mental Health Week, we want all children and young people, whoever they are, and wherever they are in the world, to be able to say – and believe – “My Voice Matters”. – Place2Be

Get involved with the week by fundraising, spreading awareness online or even just adding yourself to the Mental Health Week Map, as we have!

Find out more on the Children’s Mental Health Week Website.

How do we look after Mental Health in the Childcare Setting?

For early years providers, the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is the mandatory framework in England. The EYFS suggests many ways in which you can help a child express themselves in the three key areas:

Communication and Language
Physical Development
Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Depending on the child’s age, examples suggested include:

✅ Providing a Secure and Nurturing Environment – Ensure that the physical and emotional environment is safe, supportive, and conducive to building a strong sense of security for the child. This could involve introducing structured routines that offer predictability.

✅ Support Emotional Literacy – Help children identify and understand their emotions. Encourage them to express feelings verbally and provide guidance on how to manage and cope with various emotions. This could involve using picture books or flashcards featuring various emotions, asking the child to name them.

✅ Promoting Physical Activity – Engage children in regular physical activities, as physical health is closely linked to mental well-being. Activities like active play contribute to a positive mood and overall health.

✅ Communicate Effectively with Parents – A Key Person should maintain open and regular communication with parents to ensure a collaborative approach to a child’s well-being. Share observations, discuss concerns, and work together to support the child’s mental health.

✅ Offer Choices and Autonomy: Allow children to make choices within a safe and guided framework. This promotes a sense of autonomy, which is crucial for building self-esteem and confidence.

Our Childcare eLearning Courses

If you’re looking to upskill your staff and get them up to speed with the EYFS this Children’s Mental Health Week, CareTutor offer a range of Cost-Effective and CPD-Accredited Childcare eLearning courses.

Our courses are designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of early years educators, meeting the requirements of the EYFS 2023, Development Matters and Birth to 5 Matters.

The EYFS statutory framework will cover requirements by the following inspectors: