Children’s Mental Health Week will take place from the 6th – 12th February 2023 and the theme this year is “Let’s Connect”.
Let’s Connect is about making meaningful connections. People thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing. When we have healthy connections to family, friends and others – this can support our mental health and our sense of wellbeing.
For Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, children are being encouraged to connect with others in healthy, rewarding and meaningful ways.
National statistics show that 50 % of mental health issues are established by the age of 14 and 75% by age 24.
70% of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not received support at a sufficiently early age.
Here at the Foundation, we have offered Mental Health support to around ten young people over the past two years. Invariably we have found that young people are awaiting assessment elsewhere and are expected to wait between three to six months. We are in a fortunate position whereby we can invite people into our Counselling service within two weeks. Unfortunately, schools don’t appear to be offering any substantial support when it comes to emotional wellbeing, and therefore lots of young people simply don’t know who to turn to.
The Standing Tall Foundation practices Solution based Therapy. We teach coping strategies including mind management techniques which encourages children and young adults to focus on their reactions rather than circumstances. The results generally include anxiety management and stress reduction.
Our Head of Therapies, Phil Parr has seen a variety of young people displaying different issues, here are some of their testimonials:
“My son is 12 and has struggled with bullying at school which has left him with lots of painful memories and feelings to deal with. Counselling has offered a safe place to talk about his emotions and feelings in difficult times. Counsellor Phil is installing positivity and coping tools to help my son deal with the emotions and the results speak for themselves. He looks forward to seeing his Counsellor and he is improving all the time.”
“My daughter is 15 and has very high levels of anxiety. She has struggled during the Covid Pandemic and not seeing her friends. Her confidence was at an all-time low and she was having lengthy periods off school due to her mental health. She attended Counselling with STF, and the results were almost immediate. My daughter has learned how to challenge negative thoughts and behaviours and she has learned the importance of stepping out of her comfort zone. Counselling has enabled her to regain her confidence. She has passed her exams and is looking forward to the future.”
If your child is suffering with Mental Health issues and you need some support or advice, please get in touch with our lead Mental Health Counsellor Phil:
Mental Health 
Addiction Issues 
Wellbeing