Nick Thomas-Symonds marked Children’s Mental Health Week by visiting St Albans RC School to discuss mental health with students and hearing about their experiences.

Restrictions on education and physical activity has meant that young people have been hit particularly hard during the pandemic, with 1 in 6 children and young people having a diagnosable mental health problem.

Children’s Mental Health Week was launched in 2015 to highlight the importance of children and young people’s mental health. Schools, youth groups, organisations and individuals across the UK are taking part in Children’s Mental Health Week.

This year’s theme is ’Growing Together’, encouraging young people to consider how they have emotionally grown and finding ways to help each other grow.

On visiting St Albans RC School, Nick Thomas-Symonds MP said: “I was delighted to speak to students from St Albans this week. Children’s Mental Health Week is a great time to highlight the importance of mental health and wellbeing of young people.

It has been an incredibly tough two years for young people, so it is crucial that they get the mental health support they need. I welcome this week’s announcement from the Welsh Government on the launch of a refreshed young person’s mental health toolkit – a single point of access to a number of external organisations that can support young people with their mental health.”