On 22nd November, the NHS published a report concerning the mental health of children and young people across England. You can read the full report HERE.
We will know of children and young people in our churches and communities who have struggled with mental health issues; we may be a young person reading this who is encountering difficulties; we may have youngsters in our own congregations and families who have mental health conditions. This is a concern for us all and so it is important to be aware of the report’s findings and understand some of the issues that our children and young people are facing. There are links below which could help and can be shared with others in need.
Some of the key findings from the report are:
One in eight (12.8%) 5 to 19 year olds had at least one mental disorder when assessed in 2017
Rates of mental disorders increased with age.
Emotional disorders have become more common in five to 15 year-olds
A recent article in the Premier Christian Media Trust calls for churches to be open to teenagers facing issues. You can read about it HERE and find out where schemes to support young people are currently operating.
The Free Churches Group are committed to supporting member churches and groups engage with issues of the day and find ways in which our free churches can engage more fully in the community, in issues such as education and mental health support. We will be developing these further over the next couple of years so keep an eye out in our FCG newsletters for further information.
There are various networks you can register your support with or join their newsletter circulation list:
Festive - the Christian Further Education charity
A blessing Prayer
May the Lord God Bless you each step of Life’s way.
May you learn each day to open yourself to love and the blessings of love. May you find a stick to lean on when the road is hard- and not use the stick to beat yourself. May you be blessed with life's abundance and blessed in poor days too, learning again what really matters, what lasts.
May you never give in to despair or the lie that nothing can change. May you find ways of life and walk them with courage, knowing that every step is within the heart of Christ who holds all our days in love. Amen