Children's Mental Health Week

Place2Be is partnering with Here4You, supported by The Walt Disney Company, to launch its Children’s Mental Health Week 2025. This initiative, which first began in 2015, aims to empower children across the UK to find and express their voice. This year’s theme, "Know Yourself, Grow Yourself," encourages self-awareness—understanding one's strengths, fears, likes, dislikes, hopes, and dreams. Emotions play a vital role in this process, helping children and young people connect with who they are. By fostering self-awareness and the ability to express emotions, resilience can be built, and personal growth can follow.

Children's Mental Health Week 2025 will take place from 3-9 February 2025.

Encouraging emotional expression:

Creating an environment where children feel comfortable discussing their feelings through activities like daily check-ins and open conversations.

Active listening:

School staff are encouraged to focus fully on what children are saying, showing understanding through thoughtful responses. Often, children just need to feel heard, which can have a significant impact.

Collaboration and reflection:

After participating in group activities, students can reflect and share their experiences, helping them connect with others and gain insight into themselves.

Fostering creativity:

Incorporating creative outlets like art, writing, or music allows children to express their emotions and identity, helping to develop self-awareness.

Reflecting on emotions:

After challenging experiences, reflecting on emotions can provide children with a safe space to process their feelings and learn healthy coping mechanisms.

Setting personal goals:

By setting goals, children focus on their dreams and aspirations. This process helps them understand what truly matters to them and contributes to their personal growth.

Place2Be

Key elements for engaging children in this process include:

Schools can download free teaching materials to help create awareness of mental health issues. There are tips and lesson ideas for both Primary and Secondary Schools.

This year’s theme ‘Know Yourself, Grow Yourself’, encourages schools to get creative and fundraise in a way that allows them to explore and express uniqueness, strengths, and passions.

Ideas include:

• Non-uniform day;

• Bake a difference;

• Sponsored Challenge; and

• Quiz or Games day

• SEND06 Social Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties

• SEND16 Schools and the Mental Capacity Act 2005

• Example Health and Wellbeing Policy

Other downloadable resources are available via the Handsam system - just use the search term "Mental Health" in the Topic Tag search window

HANDSAM RESOURCES

Download the resources HERE

In the UK, 1 in 5 children and young people are likely to experience a mental health condition. Through participation in Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week 2025, individuals and schools can help ensure that children feel heard and know they are not alone. The resources include everything needed to participate, including group activities, tips, and an assembly guide.

This year’s collaboration with Here4You brings resources inspired by Pixar’s Inside Out and Inside Out 2, which encourage children to explore how knowing themselves better helps them build resilience. The resources are designed to help children recognize and express their emotions, fostering a space for connection and self-expression.