Books are a wonderful way to help children learn about themselves and about the world, and to share their concerns and fears in a safe environment. We are more aware than ever about the importance of good mental health, and whilst anxiety is a natural part of development for children it is important to teach them strategies to help deal with worry and understand when further support is needed.

Children’s Mental Health Week 2025, organised by the Place2Be charity, is a week long focus on empowering children to help them discover who they are and how they can build resilience, grow and develop. This year it will take place from 3-9 February 2025 - and the theme is Know Yourself, Grow Yourself.

How to mark Children's Mental Health Week

Know Yourself, Grow Yourself will put a spotlight on how we can build resilience, grow and develop by understanding who we are and what makes us tick. The more we understand about ourselves, the better we're prepared to tackle life's ups and downs. Our in-school counsellors help children and young people in the UK cope with some of the most challenging times in their lives. By helping them get to understand and accept themselves, they start to build self-awareness. This allows them to develop the skills they need to cope with what life throws at them.

Place2Be launched the first-ever Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015 to shine a spotlight on the importance of children and young people’s mental health. 

You can find resources for schools and community groups here to help take part in Children's Mental Health week at school, for home-schooling, online lessons or independent learning. And there are lots of ideas and activities to encourage you to get involved.  

www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk 

Resources and Information

There are many organisations that offer information to help you spot the sign that a child is suffering and ways to support :

The Childline website has tips to cope with feelings of anxiety caused by the pandemic - and is a great service children can contact to talk about any issues that are worrying them. Established in 1986, Childline is a free and confidential service for children to contact online, or on the phone, 24hrs a day with trained counsellors ready to listen. 

Mentally Healthy Schools brings together quality-assured resources to help primary schools promote children’s mental health and wellbeing. To support school staff and parents during these uncertain times they have produced curated toolkits, with resources to help manage anxiety and improve wellbeing.

And Next Comes L has hundreds of activities and play ideas for toddlers and all school aged children. There are also a range of tips and resources to help a child suffering anxiety including printable worksheets.

The NSPCC have advice to help you support children who may be experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal feelings or self-harm. 

We have gathered together a collection of books that might help relieve some of the negative feelings and help our children find ways to cope, through mindfulness exercises and gentle storytelling.

Feeling

Even the darkest storm passes,

The sun can't shine bright every day,

We can sit with our feelings and notice

How they roll through us then blow away.

taken from Happy: A Children's Book of Mindfulness by Nicola Edwards and Katie Hickey

In addition, you can find further reading recommendations in this Resilience Collection and in books to Improve Self Esteem and Build Confidence.