Alarming children's mental health condition fact revealed in Bolton conference
This alarming fact was revealed at the first Bolton conference for the Hummingbird Project, which aims to improve children's mental health.
Project manager Ian Platt, who has delivered the bulk of the in-school sessions including at several schools in Bolton, described that figure as 'wildly optimistic".
Hummingbird Project conference project manager Ian Platt (Image: Adrian Greenhalgh) The project involves a free, six-week positive psychology intervention for regional schools.
It was started and is funded by Manchester-based charity MedEquip4Kids, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
It was developed by the University of Greater Manchester under Professor Jerome Carson of the psychology department and also now backed by researchers at two other universities – Chester and the Open University.
As Catherine North, Hummingbird development manager, explained at the conference, it was created in response to concerns about children's mental health and 'overwhelmed' services for them.
The project has been accessed so far by 8,600 pupils aged seven to 18 in the North West.
It covers happiness, kindness, gratitude, mindfulness, character strengths, resilience and growth mindsets.
A rapt audience including teachers heard how the courses have resulted in measurable improvements in well-being and hope and reductions in anxiety and depression.
Catherine North identified some of the root causes of children's problems as abuse and trauma, social media and low self-esteem, pandemic legacy, deprivation and cost of living pressures.
Hummingbird has already led to various developments in the mental health field.
A computer game is proposed and there are plans to take the project to London.
Mr Platt has also been working with parents delivering the Bounce Back intervention at mental health charity MhIST to improve their wellbeing.
Conference speakers included Ifthakar Khaliq from Bolton's Essa Academy, Claudine McFaul from the Open University and Ana-Cristina Tuluceanu from the University of Greater Manchester.
Hummingbird project co-ordinator Sonia Ebenezer-Bamigbayan, Kati-Anne Roughley from Haslam Park Primary School in Bolton, Dr Kevin Hochard and Dr Michelle Tytherleigh both from the University of Chester and Sarah Hobson from St Bede CE Primary Academy in Bolton also spoke.
The mayor of Bolton, Cllr David Chadwick, and Dr Ghazala Baig, chief executive officer of MedEquip4Kids, gave the concluding comments.
Prof Carson described the conference as 'a great success,' adding that the project 'needs more national roll-out".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
How ultraprocessed foods took over Americans' diets, according to experts
Over 50% of what we eat is ultraprocessed, experts say. Dr. Timothy Spector, a leading microbiome researcher and scientific co-founder of ZOE, shares how Big Food shapes our choices and what we can do to take back control.
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
I'm the wife of a combat veteran. They need prompt access to care.
The shooting at a bar in Anaconda, Montana, has shocked the state. To learn the alleged shooter is a veteran who reportedly struggles with severe mental health issues is especially heartbreaking. The suspect's family said they tried to get him help from Veterans Affairs and state hospitals, but were turned away. That reporting highlights a broader crisis in Montana and around the country: families are seeing the warning signs of mental illness, but rigid systems are unable to respond until it's too late.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Illinois gov JB Pritzker lambasted for new ‘disastrous policy' requiring mental health screenings for kids
A new Illinois law requiring annual mental health screenings for public school students is drawing backlash from parents, policy experts and lawmakers who warn the policy may overstep boundaries and wrongly label children. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the measure on July 31, making Illinois the first state in the country to mandate mental health screenings for students in grades three through 12. The law, set to take effect in the 2027–2028 school year, directs schools to provide self-conducted screenings each year using digital or paper forms. Parents will have the ability to opt their children out. Supporters say the initiative will help schools identify early signs of depression, anxiety or trauma — before they develop into crises. But critics argue the plan could create more problems than it solves. "I want to be on-the-record and crystal clear. This is a disastrous policy that will do vastly more harm than good," Abigail Shrier, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, wrote on X. "Watch as tens of thousands of Illinois kids get shoved into the mental health funnel and convinced they are sick. Many or most of which will be false positives." Katherine Boyle, a partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, also raised concerns about government overreach and what she called the "mental health industrial complex." Read On The Fox News App Oklahoma Requires 'America First' Certification Test For Teachers Fleeing Blue States "If a school nurse or a state-mandated mental health test tells you you're sick, you're going to believe them," Boyle wrote. "This is why so many families are opting out of primary school completely — the overreach is astounding." Illinois education officials say the screenings will not be diagnostic and are designed to flag students who may benefit from further evaluation. The Illinois State Board of Education will develop the screening tools and guidelines by September 2026, and school districts will be responsible for implementing them. "Mental health is essential to academic readiness and lifelong success," State Superintendent Tony Sanders said in a statement. "Too often, we only recognize a student's distress when it becomes a crisis. With universal screening, we shift from reaction to prevention." Dem Governor Expected To Defend State's Controversial Sanctuary Policies During Gop-led Hearing Dana Weiner, chief officer of the governor's Children's Behavioral Health Transformation Initiative, said the screenings will be optional for families and conducted privately. State Sen. Laura Fine, a Democrat and lead sponsor of the bill, said the effort aims to normalize mental health care for children and teens. "The screenings will be designed to catch the early signs of anxiety, depression or trauma before it becomes a crisis or, in some cases, sometimes too late," she said. Republican lawmakers in the state have also voiced opposition. Rep. Steve Reick (R‑Woodstock) warned the law could have unintended consequences for families dealing with insurance companies. "Universal mental health screenings are going to get us nothing except possibly finding things, finding reasons for denial of coverage of insurance," Reick said. Rep. Adam Niemerg (R‑Dieterich) called the law "a very dangerous piece of legislation that removes parental rights."Fox News Digital reached out to Pritzker's office for comment and has not yet received a article source: Illinois gov JB Pritzker lambasted for new 'disastrous policy' requiring mental health screenings for kids Solve the daily Crossword
