Health / Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
Children’s Mental Health Week: ‘Now, more than ever, we need to focus on children’s mental health’
Bristol Children’s Hospital are taking part in a campaign to raise awareness of mental health in children and young people.
From February 1-7, Bianca Cuellar and Emma Morgan are leading a virtual campaign on the hospital’s Facebook page to remind people that “now, more than ever, we need to focus on children’s mental health”.
Bianca, a consultant in paediatric emergency medicine and lead for mental health in the paediatric emergency department was inspired by Emma’s work to raise awareness at the hospital during Mental Health Week and started Children’s Mental Health Week at Bristol Children’s Hospital after being inspired by Place2Be, a charity providing mental health support to children in the UK’s schools.
is needed now More than ever
“Since starting Children’s Mental Health week we have had lots of positive feedback from our teams in the hospital, as they feel they can have conversations about mental health with their patients and provide them with information about support groups or general advice when they are discharged” says Bianca, who become a consultant in 2018 following seven years of training.
“Children’s Mental Health Week has also been about sharing mental health information with not only parents and carers coming through the hospital but also children and young people either in hospital or visiting.”
Emma is works in paediatric liaison service, is a mental health nurse and support young people while they are a patient in the children’s hospital. Photo: Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, schools closed, and routines disrupted, the past year has been a particular challenge for children and young people.
Bianca decided to host the hospital’s 2021 Children’s Mental Health Week on its Facebook page, to ensure children and parents can still find out about mental health and wellbeing.
“It’s important to talk about our mental health and parents to think about their children’s mental health,” Emma, a mental health practitioner who supports young people while they are a patient in the children’s hospital.
“This event gives recognition to mental health and gets the public thinking and talking about it. Everyone has physical and mental health, so it is everyone business to help and not ignore it. We need to talk about it more freely in schools, colleges, everywhere.”
Throughout the week, the hospital is sharing advice, stories and information about some of the people who look after children and young people’s mental health at Bristol Children’s Hospital .
Since starting her training in 2011, Bianca says she has “seen a significant rise in children and young people coming through the emergency department with mental health problems”.
“It is worrying that the children and young people I see now are presenting at a younger age and with more severe high risk presentations,” she says.
“I am passionate about implementing as much support as we can for these patients coming through our hospital.
“I want to make sure we, as a trust, are informed about children’s mental health and we are confident in supporting the children and young people who come through our department and admitted to our wards.”
https://www.facebook.com/bristolroyalhospitalforchildren/videos/105109608171750
The hospital will be showcasing organisations in Bristol that can help under-18s, as well as puts faces to names of practitioners.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has been a huge challenge to children and young people, and we need to be able to give them the support they deserve,’ Bianca says.
“I work with a fantastic group of mental health teams in the hospital and we are committed to making children’s mental health a priority.
“Now, more than ever, we need to focus on children’s mental health.”
Main photo of Bianca Cuellar: Bianca Cuellar
Read more: Campaigning for better youth mental health in Bristol
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
