Children, teens and young adults can have mental health problems, too. Learn strategies to maintain healthy relationships with technology while protecting your mental wellbeing. Essential steps and resources for responding effectively when immediate help is needed. Learn why mental wellness is important, and how to get help for yourself, your child, or another young person.
Adolescence is a crucial period for developing social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. Globally, it is estimated that one in seven (14.3%) of 10–19-year-olds experience mental health conditions (1), yet these remain largely unrecognized and untreated. Another way to get help is by talking to someone you trust.
Expert-written articles and videos about common parenting issues for parents and carers of primary-age children. This year’s theme is This is My Place and we’re encouraging families and community groups to support their children and young people to feel a sense of belonging. These programmes require a multi-level approach with varied delivery platforms – for example, digital media, health or social care settings, schools or the community – and varied strategies to reach adolescents, particularly the most vulnerable. Some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services.
- These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; exercising regularly; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions.
- For university students, you can search on Student Space to find out what support is available at your university.
- The professionals supporting a child will keep information about them and their families confidential.
- Depending on the situation, you can act as a signpost to further support and services for a young person and their parents/carers.
- Sign up to our monthly e-newsletter for campaign updates, mental health advice and opportunities to get involved.
- Depression and anxiety share some of the same symptoms, including rapid and unexpected changes in mood.
Supporting a child or young person with mental health needs
If you or a young person you work with is in crisis right now and wants to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page. Our ‘Help me by…’ worksheet provides some prompts for young people to consider how they might want your ongoing support. Consider the wants and needs of the young person, and their ideas of how to keep in touch or receive support. It’s important to recognise what is and what isn’t expected of you in your role, and what you’re able to offer. If you are someone in a young person’s support network and playing a part in their recovery, it is important to consider how you can provide ongoing support.
Working together towards better infant and child mental health.
Getting help can feel especially hard if it’s not something you’ve done much before, or if society tells you that you should just be strong and get on with it. It’s normal to feel worried about these things. You can search for local peer support groups on Hub of Hope. Speak to your manager or human resources (HR) department to see if your workplace has a programme like this. For university students, you can search on Student Space to find https://militarychild.org/resource/wellbeing-toolkit/relevant-resources/ out what support is available at your university. Talk to a teacher or trusted adult who can help you find the right support.
Supporting you to work better with young people
Everyone’s support network is different and only you can know best who you feel most comfortable to turn to. Asking for help is the first step to feeling better. Our advice can help you figure out who to turn to and how to reach out for support. This includes online advice and more than 10,000 one-to-one conversations. Mental and emotional wellbeing is a key part of the support we offer.
We have lots of advice and tips from other young people who’ve been there. Our urgent help page has more information on who can support you in a crisis. Shout Textline offers you free, 24/7 text messaging support, wherever you are in the UK.