In an article published in The Health Foundation, Professor Peter Fonagy Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at UCL - and a Trustee for Mental Health Innovations - argues that the mental health crisis among young people cannot be addressed without fundamentally rethinking how we support their development.
Peter reflects on the distinct challenges and pressures faced by young people today, born out of a combination of biological factors, societal shifts and the experience of a prolonged phase of ‘emerging adulthood’, versus previous generations.
Professor Peter Fonagy, Mental Health Innovations Trustee
He argues for the importance of creating environments that meet three essential psychological needs for young people: autonomy, to give them the freedom to make choices, assess risk and carve their own paths; competence, to provide them with the tools they need to succeed, not just academically but socially and emotionally too and relatedness to foster strong social connections and thrive by feeling a sense of belonging and purpose.
At Mental Health Innovations we're incredibly grateful to have Peter's years of learnings and knowledge in children's mental health and his insight when it comes to the strategic direction of developing new products and services at Mental Health Innovations.
Through our digital support service The Mix, we offer children and young people across the UK a range of products and services, all designed to provide early intervention, deliver in-the-moment mental health support, develop resilience and empower people to take their next steps to feeling better. We’re investing today for the future of the nation’s mental health.
Products scheduled to launch in the coming months include a new self-paced learning tool through which children and young people can learn skills to support them on their journey to better mental wellbeing.And through single-session counselling and peer-led 1:1 interventions, as well as the Shout mental health text service, they will also have a range of free, early intervention digital tools to help them get support when they need it, in the way that works best for them.
As Peter says in the piece: 'The stakes are high. Young people’s mental health is not just an individual concern but a collective one. By acting now, we can create a world where the next generation has the tools, support and environment they need to lead fulfilling lives and the capacity to care for older generations. This is not just an investment in their future but in ours as well.'
Read the article on the Health Foundation.
