Priory has launched a pioneering and free emotional wellbeing programme for children across the UK which aims to help tackle the growing mental health crisis among young people.
Created by leading therapists, the resources cover thought management, mood management including frustration and anger, calming techniques to address stress and guidance on how to adapt to different situations.
Its development comes amid concerns of increasing levels of mental ill health and longer waits for access to treatment – with experts warning the damage caused by the pandemic coupled with a social media boom is likely to have a lasting impact on young people.
According to the Children’s Commissioner, it is 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 and 40,000 of those have been waiting more than two years.
Priory Emotional Wellbeing Programme for Children
Known as the Priory Emotional Wellbeing Programme for Children and aimed at children at the end of primary school and early secondary age, it is designed to help “fill the gap” in children’s emotional resilience and help prevent the onset of further problems.
The programme, led by experts based at the Priory Wellbeing Centre Southampton, uses evidence-based psychotherapy techniques including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), emotional coping skills and mindfulness.
Uniquely, it is delivered by therapists via video who talk through different emotional management skills directly, offering expert insight previously unavailable in such a comprehensive and accessible way.
Alongside video guidance are written skills manuals for a facilitator – who could be a parent, teacher or anyone with responsibility for working with children – to use, as well as worksheets for children to complete.
The programme can be delivered in a classroom, home environment or in the community – such as guiding and scout groups – and facilitators are provided with the guidance (accessible for download in each section) to enable effective sessions to be delivered.
It is clearly structured with an introduction, a total of 18 skills taught within five core areas – Wellness, Communication, Skills, Mood and Activities – and a closing session.
Department for Education
The programme, which 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, 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.
These highlight the importance of ensuring that the curriculum for all pupils includes evidence-based, culturally appropriate information about social, emotional and mental wellbeing to develop children and young people’s knowledge and skills.
“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,” said CBT therapist Claire Gask, clinical lead for Priory Wellbeing Centre Southampton who helped to develop the programme.
“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.”
Raise awareness of emotional wellbeing
Debbie Longsdale, therapy director at Priory, added: “This programme will raise awareness of emotional wellbeing among young people and provide skills and support techniques to help them manage emotions through different situations, as well as provide families and schools with the tools they need to support young people.”
Rebekah Cresswell, chief executive of Priory, said: “I am extremely proud of colleagues across Priory who have developed this valuable and essential set of resources. 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: “Priory’s commitment to creating an inclusive, accessible learning environment aimed at supporting children, their families and schools can make a positive impact nationwide.
“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, added: “SANE believes it is vital to give children and young people the skills to protect themselves from mental health problems. 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 life-long mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and self-harm. It is important to know that two thirds of all mental illness starts in childhood and adolescence.”
Last week saw the release of Priory’s latest episode of Perspectives, an expert panel discussion programme, which focused on children and young people’s mental health. It is available to view on Priory’s YouTube channel.
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