CHILDREN struggling with mental health difficulties are being targeted in a new charity project.
Northumberland-based young people’s charities Children North East and Mortal Fools are working with 14 North East schools via a project called Worrit Warriors, funded by the NHS Integrated Care Board and invested in by Public Health Northumberland.
Worrit Warriors will work with more than 120 pupils aged nine to 11, including those who shared thoughts with adults about suicide and self-harming.
According to previous children's commissioner Anne Longfield in 2021, there has been a significant rise in recent years treating pre-teen mental health disorders. More than 3,000 North East children are hospitalised annually due to mental health conditions, self-harm and disordered eating.
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The project represents an increased investment by the NHS in early interventions for children facing mental health challenges.
Children struggling with mental health at the crucial developmental age of seven to 11 are more at risk of a mental health crisis before adulthood and developing long-term problems.
Adele Wimhurst, counselling team manager at Children North East, said: "Children are often overlooked as having an emotional life which is not very complicated, but the reality is that they are often dealing with ‘big’ feelings and experiences, as well as being very perceptive of those around them."
Leigh Elliott, chief executive of Children North East, added: “The increase of mental health crises among North East children is a significant area of concern. Every young person has the right to grow up happy and healthy and with early intervention, the ‘Worrit Warriors’ project provides a pathway of support that overstretched schools and healthcare services are often unable to provide."
The project combines the award-winning ‘Melva’ Digital Programme, a creative mental health intervention created by Mortal Fools with therapeutic practitioner support.
Kiz Crosbie, artistic director and CEO of Mortal Fools, said: "The Melva programme provides children and the adults in their lives a way to understand and have deep, life-changing conversations about worries and anxiety.
"Melva is an accessible, guided programme to help them and makes talking about difficult things fun.”
Worrit Warriors is running from now until the end of the summer term as a pilot project.
If successful, it's hoped an evolved version will run in the next academic year with Northumberland schools.
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