The theme of this year's Children's Mental Health Week is 'This is My Place', which emphasises the importance of support systems around children and young people to help them feel that they belong.
Our sense of belonging as individuals, in our friendships, in school, and in communities plays a vital role in our mental health.
To feel part of our environment and to know our place is a basic need. To belong can have powerful and long-lasting impacts in lots of areas of our lives, including our physical and mental health, education, employment and relationships. We feel empowered when we belong. When we feel empowered, we contribute to the world around us and make a real difference.
Here at West Sussex Mind, we support children and young people, with part of our work helping them to feel as if they belong, and to find tools and resources to manage their mental health. We also provide support and training for parents and professionals to help them support children and young people.
Here's a flavour of what we provide:
- Specialist children and young people mental health workers in GP practices: support for those aged eight to 17 in Worthing, Adur, Arun and rural north Chichester
- Support for young people aged 16-25
- Support for families with young children (Families in Mind): we offer help and support to parents prior to having a child, after their child is born and until their child reaches school age
- Parents and carers support: we help parents and carers to increase their understanding and confidence in coping with and addressing their child's or young person's mental health and find peer support with fellow parents. We also offer free webinars and courses for parents.
- We offer a range of courses for professionals and volunteers working with children and young people.
Find out more about Children's Mental Health Week and find resources from Place2Be, which runs this annual awareness week.