British parents want their children to be taught about mental health at school
The research, conducted by the Mental Health Foundation, found that 70 per cent of mums and dads agreed that schools should educate their children on the topic of mental health.
Ironically, many of the parents questioned believed that ‘school were negatively impacting their children’s mental health, and two thirds said they believed their kids 'have it tough', with more academic pressure placed upon them than their own generation when they were growing up.
**WATCH: The Mental Health Foundation's schools programme in action! **
Despite the fact that mental health isn’t currently a compulsory subject in UK schools (something that will shock the quarter of parents who believed it is), 48 per cent think their kids have adopted a positive attitude towards mental health and those who live with mental health conditions.
Talking about the importance of tackling mental health issues at a young age, Dr Antonis Kousoulis from the Mental Health Foundation, said: “From an independent study we know that 50 per cent of adult mental health problems are already established by the age of 14, and yet mental health education is still not compulsory at schools.
“It is crucial that we reach young people early and give them the knowledge and skills they will need to understand and protect their mental health in today’s complex world.”
Helen Bohan, who leads the schools pilot project for the Mental Health Foundation, added: “We hope that the government wakes up to the need for young people to learn about mental health from a young age and join us in equipping a generation for the challenges they will face by rolling out innovative solutions like this nationwide.