When mental health is discussed in government or by educational professionals, it is mainly aimed towards teens. I admit, when we converse about mental health at Rikama Education, I picture a teenager. Even the government has admitted the same with their mental health first aid pledge being applicable for secondary aged pupils only. Why is it that we do not discuss primary age students? Because they are not being discussed, are they being missed? Could this lead to further mental health needs as these children develop?
Evidence has shown that most young people diagnosed happens when they are around fourteen years old, but this does not mean that younger individuals do not have symptoms. If these symptoms are identified early and interventions are put in place, mental health needs may not be needed when they reach their teens, therefore saving the government money.
Teachers need training
To be able to identify these symptoms at such an early age, teachers, teaching assistants and educators will need training to safely work with these children in a beneficial manner. Although, if schools were to reduce workloads for children such as testing and focus more on learning through fun/play then this could reduce symptoms directly without interventions.
