Gary Seath 2 months ago
Open to young people from regular, reservist, and veteran families, the event on 26 October provides an opportunity to have a say in how to help their teachers and wider professionals to meet their mental health and wellbeing support needs.
There are over 12,500 children and young people from armed forces communities living in Scotland, who can face unique challenges to their mental health and wellbeing, compared to peers from non-military families.
Common factors range from parental deployment and separation, disrupted education, routines, and friendships when making regular moves to leaving communities of support when parents leaves the armed forces, alongside many others.
A recent Forces Children Scotland survey questioned one hundred and sixty-two respondents about their wellbeing, who said:
Not all children and young people will experience poor mental health; however, for those who do, the most recent Tri-Services Family Continuous Attitude Survey reported that only 37% of families managed to access mental health and wellbeing services.
This challenge of accessing services is often compounded further when families move across the country, often leading to their children and young people starting from the bottom of waiting lists. In some cases, waits can extend beyond 18 months.
Some children and young people may turn, instead, to teachers and wider professionals when facing challenges, who have told the charity that more should be done to help them enhance empathy and understanding regarding how forces life can impact their mental health and wellbeing.
The co-produced resources will be available to download on the charity’s Your Mind Matters Mental Health and Wellbeing Digital Hub and will enhance its accredited CPD training modules for educators and professionals from later this year.
“We warmly encourage children and young people from armed forces communities to get involved in this session because their voices provide authentic insight into the challenges faced and should be at the heart of our new series of co-produced resources to help their teachers to truly understand and respond to their needs with empathy, and compassion.”
The co-production session will be held at Hermitage Academy from 10am-3pm on Saturday 26 October. Please contact gillian.gray@forceschildrenscotland.org.uk for further information.
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For more information, please contact Gary Seath, Marketing, Communications, and Development Manager – gary.seath@forceschildrenscotland.org.uk.
Images available upon request.
We support over 13,000 children and young people from armed forces communities across Scotland to realise their potential and thrive.
This is achieved through the delivery of mental health & wellbeing, youth participation, family support, education & learning, and policy services to meet their unique support needs. Moreover, we assist educators, professionals, and decision-makers to enhance their understanding and practice to meet the unique support needs of this community.
We put the lived experience of children and young people from this community at the heart of everything we do, and work directly with our team to co-produce our projects, services, and campaigns to ensure we collaborate as a collective force for good to achieve our vision of making Scotland a place where all children & young people from armed forces communities can realise their potential and thrive.
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