How to support the mental health of early years workers

The more we learn about mental health, the more we understand the fundamental importance of the early years in a child’s development. Behind every single child are the staff who support them in nurseries and schools, each day, every day. 

As chair of the Anna Freud Centre, the children’s mental health charity, we are very focused on providing training and support to young people. Our Patron, the Duchess of Cambridge, is doing ground-breaking work on the early years. In June, she launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which was developed with expert guidance from our Centre. 

As we approach World Mental Health Day, it’s worth honing in on the mental health of our children and young people and the staff that work with them. In a survey carried out this year by the Anna Freud Centre, 42 per cent of staff said they had noticed signs that children in their care had their emotional wellbeing affected by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. Another survey of nursery staff showed that 50 per cent said they felt unwell from work-related stress over the past year, whilst 66% responded that the pandemic had negatively impacted their wellbeing and mental health.