New PHE resource identifies clear opportunities for local organisations to improve children’s mental wellbeing

A new resource from Public Health England’s (PHE) Mental Health Intelligence Network highlights the importance of local organisations measuring and acting to improve the mental wellbeing of children and young people. 

Measuring mental wellbeing in children and young people  shows that raising levels of mental wellbeing influences a child’s ability to learn, their resilience to risky behaviours and their physical and mental health in adulthood. Half of all mental health problems emerge before the age of 14 and 1 in 10 children will have a clinically diagnosed mental health problem during their childhood.

The guide is aimed at those working within public health and related fields, and is intended to provide practical support to those wishing to support local JSNAs and the commissioning of interventions to improve the mental wellbeing of local children and young people.

The guide comprises of two documents: the first explains what mental wellbeing is for children and young people, why it is important and its key determinants, and the second is a technical appendix which identifies the measures which may be used to quantify mental wellbeing and its key determinants, together with information on how to use the measures and links to examples of evidence based practice.