Government plans for children to be taught how to look after their mental wellbeing have been welcomed by Kemi Badenoch MP as a “significant step” in raising awareness about the importance of mental health.
Mrs Badenoch said: “One of the reasons I became an ambassador for Mind in West Essex was because I realised how critical care and support is when dealing with the mental health challenges we are facing.
“This an area I have been raising with the Government, especially as more and more young people are suffering from mental health problems related to social media.
“The introduction of mandatory mental health education in schools is a significant step forward in preparing children for adulthood, improving their well-being and keeping them safe and healthy.
“I look forward to supporting schools across the constituency in this work.”
At primary school, pupils will learn that mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life and why simple self-care – like getting enough sleep and spending time outdoors and with friends – is important.
Secondary school education will build on this, as well as teaching pupils online safety topics.
To ensure teachers are well-prepared ahead of the subjects becoming mandatory in 2020, there will be a £6m budget in 2019/20 for a school support package to cover training and resources.