Child Mental Health
Children are widely dismissed in many areas, especially those concerning mental health. If a child reports feeling symptoms of poor mental health, they are often brushed off as if they don’t know any better. Many children don’t even get to the point of speaking with an adult about what they are feeling as they do not feel as if they have a trusted confidant. Autonomy for children under six is by far lesser than that of older children. Child abuse rates continue to rise, mental health in children appears to be declining and children are left with little to no support systems to care for and about them.
Why it's important
Unfortunately, sexual abuse in children is still an incredibly prevalent issue in society and is one of the highest forms of abuse in children under ten (Conners-Burrow, Kramer, Pemberton & Vanderzee, 2015). When the natural advocates in a child’s life are hurting them, it is difficult for them to build trust in others to share what they are feeling. This directly correlates to mental health as children may become withdrawn, timid and nervous around any and all adults, hiding their true feelings and repressing them. It is a common misconception in adults (i.e. families and professionals) that children under six years of age are not affected by traumatic experiences. While younger children have a much higher rate of resiliency, this is not always the case (Conners-Burrow, Kramer, Pemberton & Vanderzee, 2015). Children deserve the same rights that adults do in that they can share their feelings and emotions in confidence and have something done about them.
Child Helplines
In a 2016 broad study, international child helplines were examined to determine both reasons for calling and trends within a 10-year time span. The results showed an incredibly high number of calls to these lines, many made by extremely young children; the study analyzed over 23 million responded calls (Bruns, Fukkink & Ligtvoet, 2016). These helplines proved to be a great and supportive ear for children around the world who were experiencing stress, trauma, abuse and emotional duress in their lives. While helplines are far from natural advocates, they give children a outlet to express what they are thinking and feeling, without the added worry of their stories being shared without their consent.
Freedom of choice
It is imperative that children the resources and support systems so that they feel comfortable to share how they feel. Children, especially young children, lack the developed skills of emotional regulation and self-awareness which is why it is that much more important for adults to become more involved in this process so that children can receive the help they need. That being said, children should also be given the freedom to participate in the choices made about them and have a say in how they are affected. Children deserve to have adults in their lives that are supportive, trusting, and honest so that their needs can be met and they can work towards a happy and healthy childhood.
References
Bruns, S., Fukkink R. G., & Ligtvoet, R. (2016). Voices of children from around the globe; an international analysis of children's issues at child helplines. Children and Society, 30(1), 510-519. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=13&sid=7726c1f5-ee60-44f0-b04c-58347249f512%40pdc-v-sessmgr01
Conners-Burrow, N., Kramer T. L., Pemberton J, R., & Vanderzee K. L. (2015). Who is advocating for children under six? Uncovering unmet needs in child advocacy centers. Children and Youth Services Review. Retrieved from https://ac.els-cdn.com/S0190740916300032/1-s2.0-S0190740916300032-main.pdf?_tid=6eef5ae1-7977-4398-a103-47d0db7a882c&acdnat=1520351475_49e45a2c041f389a4ba361cfe1a36ac2