Every Childhood is worth fighting for

There are ways you can identify if a child needs support with their mental health.

By being attentive to a child or young person's mood and behaviour, you can recognise patterns that suggest they need support.

Common warning signs of mental health issues include:

• sudden mood and behaviour changes
• self-harming
• unexplained physical changes, such as weight loss or gain
• sudden poor academic behaviour or performance
• sleeping problems
• changes in social habits, such as withdrawal or avoidance of friends and family.

These signs suggest that a child may be struggling, but there could be a number of different explanations for them.

Don't attempt to diagnose mental health issues yourself or make assumptions about what’s happening in a child's life.

Recognising that a child or young person may be struggling with their mental health is the first step in helping them. The next step is to respond appropriately.

There is a lot of information on the NSPCC website with advice on how to talk to your child about their mood, feelings and loneliness but also some discussion points and training for both parents, children and young people.