Healthy hub highlights support available during Children's Mental Health Week

The awareness week, which runs from today until Sunday, was first launched by Place2Be in 2015 and aims to shine a spotlight on the issue. This year's theme is 'Express Yourself'.

The online Young People’s Healthy Hub focuses on providing specific advice to young people, aged between 11 to 16, during this difficult time.

It is working with Mind in Mid Herts to offer free one-to-one counselling sessions virtually. The sessions will begin tomorrow, and will allow young people to seek the tailored help and advice for mental health related concerns from a trained counsellor.

The hub also has a range of referral partners where young people can go for further help and support, including Kooth, Just Talk Herts and Healthy Young Minds in Herts.

Stevenage borough councillor Richard Henry, executive member for children and young people, said: “The Young People’s Healthy Hub is here to offer advice and support to young people during Children’s Mental Health Week and beyond.

"So if you, or a young person you know, may be struggling during this difficult time please get in touch with the hub today for personalised help.

“Mental health is complex and can be impacted by many different factors – and being active, self-care and learning new skills all feed into our wellbeing.

"The hub provides a wide range of health and wellbeing advice and courses that all have the ability to improve mental health, with more planned for the future, so please keep an eye on our website for updates.”

The impact of the coronavirus lockdowns has had on children and young people's mental health has been a topic of discussion since the Children's Commissioner for England released a report on the subject last week.

For more information, visit www.stevenage.gov.uk/leisure-culture-and-wellbeing/health-and-wellbeing/young-peoples-healthy-hub, call 07810 15485 or email yphealthyhub@stevenage.gov.uk.

The hub is open Tuesday to Thursday, from 3.30pm to 6.30pm.