Preschool Nursery Children Mental Health & Well Being

Mental health problems affect around one in six pre-school nursery children & young adults.

This can include anything from depression & anxiety to other types of behavioural problems. Generally, this is a direct response to what is happening in our children’s lives.

Unfortunately, 75% of pre-school nursery children and young people who experience mental health issues aren’t getting the help that they need. In fact, surveys suggest that more children and young people have problems with their mental health today, than 30 years ago

Your child’s emotional wellbeing is equally as important as their physical health. Good mental health helps pre-school nursery children develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them. Which in turn, will help them grow into well-rounded, healthy adults.

As a parent, you must be thinking “so what can I do to help my child?” which is why we’ve written this blog for you.

Here are a few pointers that will help, to get us started:

• being part of a loving and safe family (that gets along well most of the time)
• plenty of time and freedom to play both outdoors & indoors too
• keeping a healthy, balanced diet and getting regular exercise
• attending a pre-school nursery or school that takes care of its pupils well being
• taking part in local activities with friends
• having a stable, consistent environment to come home to (where possible)

What can affect my child’s mental health?

As parents, it is key for us to understand any factors that may affect our children and what we can do to alleviate these.

Changes often act as triggers such as; moving home, changing school, the birth of a new sibling, or more recently, a global pandemic for example.  Traumatic events can also trigger mental health problems for children and young people. Of course, traumatic events are often unavoidable. But the key is helping your child feel safe, loved and supported by their family & friends.

If you’re worried about your child, here’s what you can do

One of the most important things you can do is listen to your child and take their feelings seriously. They may not even need your help as such, sometimes a simple hug goes a long way.

The good news is, negative thoughts and feelings usually pass in preschool nursery children & young adults. However, it’s a good idea to get help if your child is distressed for a long time. Especially if their feelings are stopping them from getting on with their day-to-day lives. Disrupting family life or if they are repeatedly behaving in ways you wouldn’t expect at that age.

If your child is having problems at school, a member of staff may be able to help. Alternatively, go to your GP or speak to a health visitor. They can refer your child for further help if necessary. Most mental health support for children and young adults is provided free by the NHS, your child’s school or your social services department.

There are plenty of other organisations that can help, so be sure to check out https://www.nhs.uk and https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/.