The Duchess of Cambridge has released a video message to mark Children’s Mental Health Week where she urges her belief that children should be “supported through difficult times in their lives”.
The Duchess is patron of the children’s mental health charity Place2Be, and highlights in her message the importance of giving children the “tools to cope” as they go through challenges and obstacles in their lives.
In the message, she says: “This Children’s Mental Health Week we want to support schools to prioritise the emotional wellbeing of their students, alongside academic success.
“By ensuring every child is given the emotional support they need, we are giving them a firm foundation for the happy healthy future they deserve.”
The Duchess filmed the video in Salusbury Primary School in north-west London, where pupils have directly benefited from the Place2Be charity.
The Duchess continues saying: “Many of us are incredibly fortunate that the issues we face in childhood are ones we can cope with and learn from.
“But for some children, learning to cope with life’s challenges can be a struggle.
“While we cannot always change a child’s circumstances, we can give them the tools to cope, and to thrive. With early support they can learn to manage their emotions and feelings and know when to seek help.
“William and I feel that every child deserves to be supported through difficult times in their lives.”
Catherine Roche, Chief Executive of Place2Be, said: “Place2Be’s work in over 250 schools and our training for school staff focus on understanding a child’s behaviour and helping them to manage their emotions in a positive way.
“We are hugely grateful to the Duchess for helping to remove the stigma around children’s mental health and for shining a spotlight on the value of supporting children in school from an early age.”
All of the children featured in the video have benefited from the charity Place2Be.
One 10 year old tells the Duchess: “Place2Be has helped me a lot. If it wasn’t in the school I don’t think I’d be able to cope as much.”
Children’s Mental Health Week began on Monday, and focuses on building the resilience of children and their ability to cope with stressful situations.
