Youth Mental Health Day urges young people to control their scroll

It’s Youth Mental Health Day and the theme for 2024 is #ControlYourScroll. Youth Mental Health Day is an annual awareness campaign falling on 19th September which aims to raise awareness and foster discussion around the mental health challenges young people face. This year, the mental health campaign, spearheaded by youth mental health charity stem4,...

Self-Harm Awareness Day aims to improve understanding

This Friday, 1st March 2024, is Self-Harm Awareness Day in the UK, aimed at improving understanding of this sensitive and often misunderstood topic. Run by Harmless, the national centre of excellence for self-harm and suicide prevention, the awareness campaign, sometimes known as Self-Injury Awareness Day, provides “an opportunity for everyone across the country to...

Child mental health referrals up 39% after ‘difficult’ year

Referrals for child mental health services have risen by 39% in England in just one year, official data has revealed. NHS referrals for mental health treatment for under-18s increased to more than 1.1 million during 2021-22, compared to 839,570 in 2020-21, and 850,741 in 2019-20. The figures – branded “alarming” by the NSPCC –...

Childline supports young people with sexuality and gender identity

During Pride Month, Childline has voiced its support for children and young people struggling with their gender identity or sexuality. The national charity helpline says that, over the past year, it has seen a 29% increase in the number of young people contacting them to talk about concerns relating to coming out. The helpline...