Mental health
Table of contents
Children and young people asked us to make mental health one of our priorities. They have told us they need support before they reach crisis point, and that help should be easier to access in schools, communities, health services and other places they trust.
The UNCRC says every child has the right to the best possible health, including mental health. Children and young people should be able to get support and treatment when they need it, in a way that works for them.
Children and young people have told us about experiencing stress, anxiety, school pressure, and how difficult it can be to ask for help. We are continuing to work holding the Scottish Government to account on their human rights obligations to children when it comes to mental health. Research we commissioned with SAMH and Young Scot found limited progress and transparency in improving mental health support for young people, with access to services varying across Scotland and demand for counselling exceeding provision.
When children are being cared for in mental health settings they must be treated with dignity and respect in a rights-based way, ensuring that they are protected from harm. We used our legal powers to secure commitments from the Scottish Government to put in place human rights-based guidance, and to mandate recording, reporting and monitoring around the use of restraint in mental health settings.
We promoted rights to good mental health with thousands of primary-aged children at our online assembly. This was held on the UN International Day of Happiness in partnership with eSgoil. We created resources for children to do following the assembly to open up conversationswith adults about good mental health in an age-appropriate way.
Children’s Rights and International Day of Happiness: Activities
This Happiness Activities Sheet was created to go alongside our special Happiness Assembly, held on UN International Day of Happiness. Thousands of children across Scotland joined Children’s Commissioner Nicola Killean and Young Advisor Saif for a joyful, laughter-filled celebration of happiness and human rights.
Spreading joy – thousands of children join Commissioner’s happiness assembly
Children had a laugh together celebrating UN International Day of Happiness at a special online assembly. Children’s Commissioner Nicola Killean hosted the BSL-interpreted assembly for primary-aged children, with Saif, 16, who is a member of the Commissioner’s Young Advisors group.
Our work on mental health
What children and young people told us?
You told us what having good and bad mental health feels like and why it is such an important issue. You wanted us to keep working on mental health so more children and young people experience good mental health and get support when they need it. Children and young people told us that support needs to be easier to find and ask for. Our young advisors investigated mental health counselling and their recommendations included that counselling should be available easily in school, outside school hours, and during holidays.
16% (nearly 1 in 6) told us mental health is one of the top five issues they would work on.
And if they were Commissioner for the day, children and young people told us they would work to:
Help children with their mental health.
Improve services and support.
14% (1 in 7) told us mental health will be a bigger concern for children and young people in the future.
What young people said…
“Sometimes people bottle it up then you explode.”
“[Good mental health means] you won’t feel overwhelmed, you’ll feel lighter.”
“[Poor mental health] can affect your studies, relationships, everything. It can really harm your mind and your body.”
“You have to talk to someone to talk about it. It won’t help hiding it away.”
More mental health news
What does the UNCRC say?
The UNCRC says every child has the right to the best possible health, including mental health. This means children and young people should be able to get support and treatment when they need it, in a way that works for them.
Mental health links to many other rights too. Children should be listened to, treated without discrimination, given clear information, and supported in schools, communities and health services. Good mental health support helps children feel safe, take part, learn, play, rest and grow.