OVERVIEW
This course raises awareness of mental health in children and young people and explains why it matters, so that you can understand your responsibilities and feel more confident in noticing, responding to and signposting concerns. Around one in five children and young people in England aged 8 to 25 had a probable mental health condition in recent NHS surveys, and many more experience periods of distress that do not meet a clinical threshold but still affect their daily lives. Early, kind and informed support makes a real and lasting difference. The course is written for anyone who works with, cares for or volunteers with children and young people. You do not need to be a mental health professional to make a difference. What matters most is a warm, consistent, trusted relationship and knowing how to listen, respond and pass concerns to the right people.
The course explains what mental health is, the law and safeguarding frameworks that apply in the UK, the risk and protective factors that shape wellbeing, the common types of mental health difficulty in children and young people, how to support a child who is struggling, how to handle sensitive disclosures such as self-harm, and how to create an environment and culture that promotes positive mental wellbeing. Throughout, the course promotes a supportive, non-judgemental, safeguarding-led approach. It uses realistic scenarios and practical examples drawn from UK settings, and it points to the services and helplines available across the UK. It is awareness-level training: it will help you recognise when something may be wrong and respond well, but it does not qualify you to diagnose conditions or to deliver therapy. Where a child needs more, the course shows you how to connect them with people who can help.
