Help children feel comfortable in their own skin, says Duchess
THE DUCHESS of Cambridge is starting a mental health campaign to help children “fulfil their true potential”.
In a video message, the Duchess calls on parents and teachers to “give children the emotional strength” they need to “feel comfortable in their own skin”.
Her intervention comes amid a push to identify mental illness in schools and offset issues in adulthood.
It is feared more children are suffering from low self-esteem because of the pressures placed upon them by social media.
The comments were recorded to promote Place2be, the children’s charity of which she is patron, and coincide with Children’s Mental Health Week. The charity runs counselling services in schools.
In the message, the Duchess, who is pregnant with her third child, said: “Childhood is an incredibly important moment in our lives. It is the time when we explore our personalities, discover the potential that lies within us and learn how to be ourselves.
“Our experience of the world at this early stage helps to shape who we become as adults, how we begin to feel comfortable in our own skin.”
The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry and the Duchess have put mental health at the forefront of their charitable work and have been heavily involved in the Heads Together campaign, highlighted by The Daily Telegraph.
The Duchess, who has been a Place2be patron since 2013, filmed the video message during last month’s visit to Reach Academy Feltham, west London. She spoke to pupils, parents and teachers about the impact of the scheme which tries to spot potential problems early and give support in familiar surroundings.
Low self-esteem affects more than eight in 10 of the pupils who get Place2be’s one-to-one help. According to the charity, the back-up it gives can help boost confidence and enable children to cope better in and out of school.
The Duchess said: “Some children will be facing tougher challenges than others, but I firmly believe that while we cannot change their circumstances, we can ensure that every child is given the best possible support to ensure they fulfil their true potential.
“This is best achieved when we, the adults in their lives, work together to give children the emotional strength they need to face their futures and thrive.
“Whether we are school leaders, teachers, support staff or parents, we each have a role to play.
“When we are open and honest with each other about the challenges we face, we can work together to ensure the children in our care have the chance to become the best version of themselves.”
Catherine Roche, Place2be chief executive, said: “We know from our work in schools that some children find it difficult to think of themselves positively, as it’s all too easy nowadays to compare ourselves negatively to others, especially online.
“This Children’s Mental Health Week we are encouraging everyone, and especially children and young people, to focus on what makes them who they are, and to celebrate their unique qualities and strengths.”