Children's Mental Health Week 2023 – Let’s Connect
The annual Place2Be’s Children's Mental Health Week will take place from 6th to 12th February 2023 and this year’s theme is Let's Connect.
Let's Connect is about making meaningful connections for all. People thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing.
This year Safer Internet Day falls (7th February) within the same week as Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, and Place2Be are encouraging people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding and meaningful ways.
What is Mental Health
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. Mental health does not discriminate, it affects children and people of all ages, gender and race. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
Good mental health means being generally able to think, feel and react in the ways that you need and want to live your life.
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 Safer Internet Day
Organised in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, Safer Internet Day is an event which aims to promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.
Each year, Safer Internet Day covers a new theme. For Safer Internet Day 2023, the theme is “Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online.”
Children and young people are spending more time online, with many playing online games, posting on social media, and using video sharing platforms. The internet can be used positively, helping young people learn new skills, express themselves creatively and strengthen social bonds. However, the use of many popular online platforms has also been linked to low self-esteem and anxiety. They also come with a set of safeguarding risks, from the pressure to participate in dangerous challenges to cyberbullying.
How to celebrate Safer Internet Day and Children’s Mental Health Week 2023
1 in 6 young people have a diagnosable mental health problem, and many continue to have these problems into adulthood. Which is why it’s very important to provide young people with a safe space where they can share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences about life both online and offline.
Here’s some great ways you can ensure that your pupils are thinking about their wellbeing, whether they are spending time online or offline.
Dress to Express
Organise a school wide Dress to Express day and get your pupils to express themselves by wearing a colourful outfit or an outfit of their choice. Children can wear their favourite colour or choose a range of colours that express how they're feeling. The outfits can be as wild and wacky as you like.
Building relationships
Talk to your pupils about building relationships online and offline, and the risks involved for each. Help them understand how they can build safe and healthy relationships. Ask them how they feel when they are online and if anything has affected them.
Spotting fake news
The rise of social media and the internet has led to a constant bombardment of misinformation that can lead to disagreement. You can speak to your pupils about how it’s not always easy to decipher between real and fake news.
You could set a task by splitting pupils into small groups and presenting them with a particular news topic where one is real, and the other is fake. See if they can work out which story is fake, and which one is real and how they reached those conclusions.
Safer Internet Day resources from 2021 focused on misinformation and fake news for all ages which you can find here.
Posters
Design some posters that share important information about Mental Health and eSafety rules.
Kindness club
Did you know, kindness causes elevated levels of dopamine in the brain, helping us feel happier. It’s more than just a ‘nice thing to do,’ research has shown the science behind kindness plays a crucial role in our well-being.
The School of Kindness have some great lesson plans and activities designed by teachers for teachers. They have also listed some great self-kindness tips for children, see how many your pupils know or better still, what else can they add.
Mental Health for Schools CPD Course
If you haven’t already completed a CPD course in Mental Health, then this course bundle is ideal.
This course is CPD certified and it's perfect for people working in a school or any education setting and covers:
- Children’s Mental Health
- Mental Health in Schools
- Child Neglect Awareness
- Understanding Bullying
- Internet Safety in Schools
Click here to book the CPD course in Mental Health.
To view all our CPD courses click here.
Helping a child’s mental well-being
For last year’s Children’s Mental Health Week, we posted some great tips on how to help children’s mental well-being which are still useful today.
Resources
Below are some helpful links to resources for tips, guidance, and advice on Mental Health and Internet Safety.
Children’s Mental Health Week - https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/
NHS Every Mind Matters - https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/supporting-others/childrens-mental-health/
Mentally Health Schools - https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/
The Education Hub - https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2021/09/03/mental-health-resources-for-children-parents-carers-and-school-staff/
NSPCC - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/childrens-mental-health/
Better Internet for Kids - https://www.betterinternetforkids.eu/
Safer Internet Day - https://www.saferinternetday.org/
