Children’s mental health and anti-racism

Schools across the UK will be marking Children’s Mental Health Week with special assemblies and lessons. This resource shares 4 practical ways to consider what an anti-racist approach could look like.

1 in 5 children and young people now have a probable mental health condition. Generic, one-size fits all approaches to mental health fail to address the unique needs of marginalized communities. An anti-racist approach to mental health recognises how racism and structural violence shape young people’s experiences and affects their mental health. It allows for a holistic view of wellbeing, incorporating spirituality, and the mental, physical, emotional, social, and political self.

This resource brings together the work we’ve been doing in partnership with schools, families and young people. It sets out 4 practical ways that practitioners can adopt an anti-racist approach when thinking about and responding to the mental wellbeing of the children and young people they work with.

For more practical steps on embedding anti-racism into your practice all-year round, see Building your anti-racist classroom (maslaha.org).