The Duchess of Cambridge has called for more children to have better mental health support in schools to stop problems developing later in life.
Kate, as patron of the mental health charity Place2be, has recorded a video message to mark the start of Children’s Mental Health Week.
In it she says: “We want to support schools to prioritise the emotional wellbeing of their students, alongside academic success.
“By ensuring every child is given the emotional support they need, we are giving them a firm foundation for the happy healthy future they deserve.”
The video, which was filmed in Salisbury Primary School, Queen’s Park, northwest London, shows the Duchess talking to four children who have benefited from support from Place2Be.
The charity provides counselling in schools and an opportunity for children to talk about their problems. But new research has found that two thirds of all primary schools in England do not have a counsellor in their schools, with many headteachers saying there isn’t the money available to bring in trained support.
Catherine Roche, chief executive of Place2Be, said: “Primary school leaders are well aware of the challenges that their pupils face, whether it’s coping with parental separation, the illness or death of a loved one, or even witnessing domestic violence or substance misuse at home.
“The vast majority are already working hard to support them so that they’re ready to learn and can get the most out of their education.
“But teachers are not counsellors and sometimes schools need professional support to make sure that problems in childhood don’t spiral into bigger mental health issues later in life.”
At the end of the video message one of the pupils asks Kate whether she had support as a child. The boy says: “When you were younger did you have Place2Be and if you didn’t did you ever dream of something like it?”
The Duchess, who has been working to raise awareness about children’s mental health for a number of years, replies: “I would love to have had it. I think everyone would really benefit from having something like Place2Be and being able to talk.”