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Breaking Down Barriers

On browsing the BBC News website recently, I came across a couple of articles that highlighted the struggle faced by the education sector. The barriers in place to positive mental health on a wider scale are numerous and sizeable.

The first article from 8th February stated that mental health support for children ‘lacks ambition’, with children receiving less support than adults in general. The report goes on to say that only a third of children with diagnosable mental ill health get support from specialist NHS services.

The last few years have been a whirlwind, meaning we face an unprecedented epidemic of mental health issues. The situation had already been hugely challenging prior to Covid, and it’s important not to lose sight of that.

The conversation around mental health is incredibly tough, especially for those struggling, but encouraging children to be open with their feelings at an early age is key to positive wellbeing and healthy long-term development. It may not seem as important in childhood, but it is crucial in aiding the transition for children to becoming healthy young adults.

I came across the second article in question a day later. It outlined the challenge faced by the education sector centred on the normalisation of sexist, homophobic and transphobic abuse in primary schools. This has been an issue that I can certainly trace back to my own primary school days, and I’m certain it can be traced back even further than that.

It goes without saying that this ties in with improving mental health. Building an environment in which children can celebrate their differences rather than use them as a tool to divide is conducive to a more positive outlook when it comes to mental health and more.

At 1decision, we are determined to play a considerable role in bringing this conducive environment through our PSHE curriculum. Via our storybooks and interactive videos, we encourage children to talk through their concerns on mental health. Children can also make decisions on behalf of the characters in the videos, while learning the necessary skills, vocabulary and knowledge for themselves.

It may seem on the surface that we’re living in a hopeless and depressing situation, but that doesn’t have to be the case. In the education sector, we can change the world, and sometimes it’s easy to forget that.

When it comes to our storybooks, we’re always open to new suggestions on topics we can cover. Our current collection is just the start, and as the world evolves, we constantly look to evolve with it. We’d love your feedback, whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or simply someone passionate about long-term child development.

Drop us a line at info@1decision.co.uk, or even one of our social media pages located in the top right-hand corner of the site. We all have the power to make a huge difference.

Did you know we also have a RainbowSmart app, which brings school, home and the community together with mindfulness videos, flashcards and storybooks? Check out our linktree here to download the app and start the RainbowSmart with your children today.