In 2023, about 1 in 5 children and young people aged 8 to 25 years had a probable mental disorder.

This was 20.3% of 8 to 16 year olds, 23.3% of 17 to 19 year olds and 21.7% of 20 to 25 year olds.

According to NHS England’s Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2023 survey

Mental health and children

Mental health is just as important to a child’s safety and wellbeing as their physical health. It can impact on all aspects of their life, including success at school, relationships and physical wellbeing.

Early intervention in the form of education is key to giving young people the best possible start in life.

Primary schools play a vital role in supporting children’s mental health

  • Helping children learn about mental health
  • Teaching the skills children need to recognise, understand and deal with their emotions
  • Normalising conversations about mental health
  • Helping children with mental health difficulties get the support they need

Me (and my mind) is designed to complement and enhance this support

Helping children learn about healthy minds

Me (and my mind) is a colouring journal developed to help child ren begin to learn about and understand the importance of looking after their minds.

With over 50 pages of fully colourable content, the journal is packed full of useful information covering a wide range of topics, with activities to consolidate learning.

Every child is different, and so Me (and my mind) will soon grow into something that is personal to them, with endless opportunities to explore thoughts and feelings and ask questions, encouraging conversation and connection with family, friends and school staff.

What’s inside?

  • Why we should look after our minds?
  • Self esteem and being me
  • All about feelings!
  • Common mental health difficulties (and how to recognise them)
  • Looking after our bodies - sleep, movement, food
  • Asking for help
  • Thinking ahead - mindset and positivity

Click here to see a digital flipbook version of the journal

Development

Me (and my mind) was an idea conceived following countless hours working on another colouring journal project* with young people with chronic health conditions, their families and healthcare teams.

It was suggested often that a similar great resource specifically for young children BEFORE they developed mental health difficulties would be invaluable.

*Me (and IBD), a journal for young people living with a chronic disease called inflammatory bowel disease

Throughout its development, the journal has been reviewed by young people and families, paediatric healthcare teams, clinical psychologists, Children and Young People Mental Health Clinical Advisors, and primary school teachers, and refined in line with with feedback.

Feedback

We work constantly to make sure Me (and my mind) adapts and grows to be the best it can possibly be. And your feedback can help us with this!

If you are a young person, a parent or carer or a member of staff at a primary school and have seen a copy to the journal, we’d love to hear what you think.

Take a short feedback survey

Don’t underestimate how important your role could be in making Me (and my mind) something that will go on to help and support many young people in the future

Jen, author and illustrator

I was diagnosed with a chronic health condition called inflammatory bowel disease aged ten, 35 years ago. As a young person I really struggled to come to terms with my condition, and with the restrictions and emotional difficulties that were part of the journey. Alongside all the usual challenges of growing up, this profoundly affected my mental health (and even the development of my personality). My childhood and teenage years were ruled by anxiety and crippling low self-esteem.

Poor mental health continued to impact every relationship and every decision I made throughout my adult life.

I truly believe that this could have been largely avoided had I been given the opportunity to understand the importance of looking after my mind, and the skills to do it, at a young age.

More recently one of my three children was diagnosed with the same chronic disease. This gave me the push I needed to learn about and understand my own health journey, so I could support my son with his. I was determined he would never struggle as I have.

Initially I worked for two years creating my first journal, Me (and IBD). It now forms part of standard care at Addenbrooke’s hospital PIBD service, and is available to all young IBD patients in Scotland and Ireland. Working with all the wonderful young people and their families led me to explore the concept of a preventative mental health intervention for all children, a colouring journal that could offer the education, skills and support needed to begin to learn to all about how to look after their minds.

Contact

Would you like to know more about Me (and my mind)?

Get in touch with Jen:

Jen Rose
Creative Patient Ltd
Email: jen@creativepatient.com