‘Pioneering’ programme launched for children with mental health issues
Private mental health care provider the Priory Group has launched a free emotional wellbeing programme for children across the country which aims to help tackle the growing mental health crisis among young people amid the “booming” use of social media.
Led by experts based at the Priory Wellbeing Centre in Southampton, the programme includes video guidance as well as written manuals to enable the resources to be accessible not only in classrooms but also at home and other settings for young people such as guiding and scout groups.
The resources, aimed at children at end of primary school and early secondary school, cover thought management, mood management including frustration and anger, calming techniques to address stress and guidance on how to adapt to different situations.
The programme has been designed to use evidence-based psychotherapy techniques including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), emotional coping skills and mindfulness.
It has been launched amid concerns of increasing levels of mental ill health in children and longer waits for access to treatment.
In March this year, the Children’s Commissioner said it was estimated that one in five children and young people aged eight to 25 in England have a probable mental health condition, with 270,000 currently waiting for support, with 40,000 of those having been waiting more than two years.
CBT therapist Claire Gask (pictured), clinical lead for Priory Wellbeing Centre Southampton who helped to develop the programme, said: “Our emotional wellbeing programme is pioneering in that, for the first time, it will mean there are widely and freely accessible skills-based learnings developed by experts that will help fill the ‘gap’ in young people’s emotional resilience.
“There are so many young people who haven’t naturally developed ways of coping, for various reasons, and lacking these skills impacts their emotional resilience – potentially leading to further problems with their mental health amid a lack of accessible support.
“Data continues to demonstrate this and we know the pandemic undoubtedly impacted children, with them having to adapt to isolation from peers, friends and hobbies at the same time as social media platforms boomed.
“For many, this provided a falsified ‘perfect look’ and ‘perfect life’ which may have had a longer-term impact, and, at present, demand for support is clearly outstripping resource, so it is vital to provide alternative means of care and support at these testing times.”
Rebekah Cresswell, chief executive of Priory, said: “It is clear this is a critical point in time for the mental health of children and young people across the UK, particularly in terms of access to care and support, and I believe this extensive programme has the potential to be transformational given its accessibility and the range of expertise involved.”
Jake Mills, chief executive of mental health charity Chasing the Stigma, said: “By focusing on developing an emotional wellbeing programme for children that is free at the point of use, Priory are helping to break down barriers to information, which can make a huge difference in helping young people to overcome the many challenges that lay ahead as they strive to reach their full potential.”
Marjorie Wallace, founder and chief executive of the charity SANE, said: “We are aware how long the waiting lists can be, not only for assessments of mental health problems but for any form of treatment, including counselling.
“We welcome anything that speeds up access to earlier responses, to prevent young people from struggling with possibly lifelong mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and self-harm.”
The Priory emotional wellbeing programme for children is under consideration by the Department for Education as a formal schools resource and has been submitted to the Government-backed Anna Freud Mentally Healthy Schools hub, according to a Priory spokesman.
He added that it follows guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) relating to social, emotional and mental wellbeing in primary and secondary education.
For details visit: www.priorygroup.com/ewp
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