Duchess makes her first public appearance to launch mental health campaign

THE DUCHESS of Cambridge has made her first public appearance of sorts since her pregnancy announcement – launching a national mental health campaign with a video message.

The message, recorded before last week’s announcement that Kate is expecting her third child, supports an initiative that aims to equip primary school children with the confidence to talk about their feelings or listen to friends when they need a sympathetic ear.

Kate is backing the You’re Never Too Young To Talk Mental Health campaign run by the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, which she supports as patron. The Duchess has also written the introduction to a leaflet to help parents and carers start conversations with children about mental health.

In the pamphlet, Kate says: “It’s important that our children understand that emotions are normal and that they have the confidence to ask for help if they are struggling.”

The Duchess’ video message is an introduction to an animated film, co-produced by children and teachers, which takes youngsters through different mental health scenarios and how they can cope if they have problems.

In the footage, Kate says about the animated film: “It helps us all talk about our mental health, what to say and who to talk to when we have feelings that are too big to manage on our own, and how to listen and help if one of our friends is finding things difficult.”

The Anna Freud centre is named after the pioneer of child psychoanalysis – and daughter of the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud – who was instrumental in its creation.

She set up the Hampstead War Nurseries in 1941 in response to the social and emotional upheaval faced by children in wartime, and it has developed into a centre of teaching and research and a major service provider.

Research has shown half of all lifetime mental health problems start by the age of 14.