People are talking about mental health - with each other, on social media, on TV and radio - but has the stigma around mental health gone? How can we make sure we're helping the next generation to talk freely around mental health?
Almost 50% of parents across the UK said that they felt there was still a stigma in relation to a child having a mental health problem
The articles below aim to explore generational shifts in mental health conversations, offer guidance on how to approach those discussions, and signpost where to go when you need help as a parent:
Dr Ranj: How I overcame mental health stigma and got support
The Morning Live presenter and NHS clinician writes about his experiences with mental health and offers advice on where to go for support.
Let's Talk Child Mental Health with Dr Ranj and Netmums
Dr Ranj discusses stigma around child mental health with Netmums Editorial Director Jennifer Howze and Cathy Parsley, a Netmums Parent Supporter with expertise in child mental health
BBC Bitesize Parents' Toolkit has joined together with parenting site Netmums to commission an opinion poll, which shows that nearly half (49%) of over 2,000 parents polled think that there's still lots of stigma attached to talking about the mental health of their child, with 1 in 4 parents saying they wouldn’t talk about their child’s mental health within their own family.
The film above explores this further - but how have things changed in the past few decades? The films below may help show how different generations approached child mental health.
Dr Ranj Reacts…
We've made a series of 'reaction' films - where Dr Ranj gives us his immediate reaction to various videos and then uses the issues they raise as a start point to share advice on those themes.
Dr Ranj Reacts to Waterloo Road
We played Dr Ranj some clips from TV drama Waterloo Road - he reacts to themes in the episode that reflect some of the mental health issues in schools today.
Dr Ranj Reacts to The Story of Tracy Beaker
Dr Ranj watches clips from Episode 1 of the CBBC classic - talking through issues the kids face and offering parents advice on dealing with similar problems.
Never Ever Has My Child... collection
A collection of articles and films where each film sees grandparents, parents and children play a game of 'never ever' as a way of discussing topics from mental health to school and house rules to teenage years.
Dr Ranj Reacts to Never Ever Has My Child
We showed Dr Ranj some films from our intergenerational 'Never Ever...' series. He reacts to the films and offers advice to parents around mental health stigma.
Netmums host a regular expert drop-in health clinic on their online forum.
The BBC Bitesize Action Line has links to organisations that can offer support for children and their carers.
Parents' Toolkit
Fun activities, real-life stories, wellbeing support and loads of helpful advice - we're here for you and your child.
Let's Talk About Child Mental Health. collection
Parents' Toolkit has partnered with Netmums to commission content and a poll about child mental health - this series of articles offers information and advice to help parents.
Mental health first aid kit for parents: Who to ask and what to do
Worried that your child needs help with their mental health? Here's how you can access professional help and support your child while you wait.
How to tackle anxiety with Dr Anna Colton
Dr Anna has made seven short films with easy to learn techniques.
How to help your child understand bereavement and support them in their grief
Death can be hard to explain to a child. Here are some tips from the charity Child Bereavement UK.
School anxiety and refusal: How to help your child get through tough times
Tips to help parents understand emotionally-based school avoidance and offer support to their child.
