The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families today launches a series of expert podcasts to help parents understand and manage child and family mental health problems.
The series, Child in Mind, is presented by BBC Radio 4 presenter Claudia Hammond. The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families has released a message in support of the podcasts.
"One in three adults still say they would be embarrassed to seek help for their child's mental health. No parent would fail to call the doctor if their child developed a fever, yet some children are tackling tough times without the support that can help them because the adults in their life are scared to ask. It doesn’t need to be like this.
Throughout my work with family and child support organisations, one thing that has stood out to me time and again is that getting early support for a child who is struggling to cope is the best possible thing we can do to help our children as they grow up. Knowing this, both William and I feel very strongly that we wouldn’t hesitate to get expert support for George and Charlotte if they need it.
I hope that this excellent series of podcasts by the Anna Freud Centre will go some way to help families overcome that fear of what happens next if they look for professional support. They illustrate that many of the therapies are actually very simple and practical steps that include the whole family to help children make sense of the world around them. They show how with the right help, children have a good chance of overcoming their issues while they are still young, and can have the bright future they deserve.
Please do listen, and share them with your friends and family and let's change the way we all talk to each other about our mental health."
