Within the Nene Education Trust and Woodford School we have always known the importance and significance of including wellbeing within our schools, communities and curriculum, understanding that by getting wellbeing right, by developing the whole person, the whole child, we are able to ensure people thrive.
We can see that there is a wide-spread epidemic of mental health and wellbeing challenges for many people, children most of all. According to The Children’s Society, 1 in 6 children aged 5-16 is likely to have a mental health problem. That’s 5 children in every class of 30. In recent years the likelihood of children developing a mental health issue has increased by 50%. (The Children’s Society, 2022).
We know our children and young people are mentally less healthy now than they were several years ago. Even before the global pandemic hit, children and young people were more anxious, depressed and stressed than ever before. With 50% of all mental health issues starting by the age of 14, we know it is vital that we are getting mental health and wellbeing support right in our schools, starting with our youngest children.
