Gavin Mackintosh-
Chadwell Primary School students participated in a walkathon in which they learnt a lot more about mental health , as they marked Mental Health Awareness Week 2022.
The Primary School pupils were marking Mental Health Awareness Week from May 9 to 15, having within their sights the aim of raising £790 for two charities – Place2Be and You and Me Counselling.
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The walk had been arranged to start a conversation about poor mental health in children after the coronavirus pandemic. Pupils were enlightened about mental health in many of its forms, and also encouraged to confide in school staff about any mental health issues they may be suffering in silence.
Mental health is a broad topic which affects 1 in 4 people in the Uk, including many children.
The various forms and levels of mental health is often difficult for experts, let alone lay people to identify without an exhaustive detail of people’s lives and history.
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”Children suffer more mental health than many people realise, a staff of Chadwell Heath primary school anonymously told this publication. Such issues can be sparked by all kinds of reasons.
Children in families that are dysfunctional and where substance abuse is rife, are often affected seriously by just being in that environment. The problem with children witnessing adults and their acquaintances indulging in drugs is the challenge it poses for their self esteem.
Children who understand that their parent (s)is (are)on drugs or is an alcoholic, are more likely to suffer mental health issues because they see the addicted parent or guardian as a hopeless addict, and this knowledge could depress them and make them envious of children from homes where drugs is taboo.
Mental health in children can also be sparked by bullying in school , low self esteem, and even relationship breakdowns with the same or the opposite sex, at home or in school
Ilford South MP Sam Tarry was in attendance to support the youngsters as he said he felt the cause was particularly important coming out of the lockdowns imposed since 2020.
He said: “Mental health has been something that has obviously affected people in Ilford. Particularly young people. I’ve seen it in terms of casework in my office. To see a school and the young people in that school across age groups actually start a conversation about mental health issues is so positive.
“We are not great at talking about our feelings in Britain. This is about saying to people ‘it’s okay to have feelings and it’s okay to express what they are’. If you do that and you have some issues that need help, people can step in.”
Mr Tarry continued to say that mental health issues should be treated like any other medical issue and the area required more funding.
“We need the government to recognise that there is a mental health crisis in this country at the moment,” he said.
Headmaster of Chadwell Primary School, Lee Walker, emphasised the importance of having strategies in place to help young people struggling with their mental health.
He told The Eye Of Media.Com: “It is important to have strategies in place within your own school about mental health issues. This topic is often overlooked in many schools, but must never be ignored. Mental health issues can be very serious in the life of a child. There needs to be more open conversations.
“Appreciating that mental health does actually affect children.
“As school leaders and as teachers we have a responsibility to ensure that we are addressing it for our children because ultimately, they are going to be the next generation.”
Image: Bissett
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