Alarmingly, 70% of children and young people who experience a mental health problem have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently young age. It can be difficult to understand mental health disorders or ill mental health in children because normal childhood development is a process that involves change (Mental Health Foundation, 2018). Children may also not have the abilty, understanding or vocabulary to describe their thoughts or feelings, which is why it is vital that practitioners are aware of the physical signs of ill mental health shown in the list above (Glazzard and Bligh, 2018).
As ill mental health or well being cannot be seen like a physical injury can, it can seem daunting for teachers to try and spot the signs that their students may need help. Here are the warning signs of poor mental health and well being that could be seen within children:
* Persistent sadness
* Withdrawing from or avoiding social interactions
* Hurting oneself or talking about hurting oneself
* Lack of energy or motivation
* Outbursts or extreme irritability
* Behaviour that can be harmful
* Drastic changes in mood, behaviour or personality
* Changes in eating habits
* Loss of weight
* Difficulty concentrating
* Changes in academic performance
* Avoiding or missing school
(Newman, 2016)