Children’s Mental Health Week – Let’s connect!
#ChildrensMentalHealthWeek
This Children’s Mental Health Week 6th-12th February, the theme is ‘Let’s connect’ and it’s a lovely way to celebrate the importance of connections, friendships and the human need for belonging.
Relationships are at the very heart of our wellbeing and research shows us that people who are more socially connected to family, friends and their community are: “happier, physically healthier, live longer with fewer mental health problems.”²
It is the quality of our relationships too and how connected, emotionally safe and secure we feel that matters and this is what affects our sense of safety and emotional wellbeing.
When our human survival needs for connection are not met, we feel isolated and lonely, and this is detrimental to our mental and physical wellbeing and health.
“Loneliness and isolation remain the key predictors for poor psychological and physical health. Having a lack of good relationships and long-term feelings of loneliness have been shown by a range of studies to be associated with higher rates of mortality, poor physical health outcomes and lower life satisfaction.”
Making connections, developing friendships and spending time with people who care is central to our Hamish & Milo Wellbeing Intervention and SEMH resource. Each of the wellbeing programme themes focus on developing social and emotional skills to help us to connect to others, to develop friendships, recognise and celebrate who is special to us and to feel appreciated for who we are. Through a range of activities and discussion, children feel a sense of belonging and care and are able to thrive.
So, Let’s Connect and make meaningful connections for all during Children’s Mental Health Week and beyond.
Celebrating connections – paper chain activities
Activity idea one: Use the paper people chain template and ask the children to write or draw about all the people special to them that they are connected to – parents, siblings, extended family, friends, neighbours, etc.
Activity idea two: Make a paper chain and decorate each strip with the ideas from the children about how they nurture their connections with friends, family and neighbours – how do they show they care? Some ideas are below.
