Alarming rise in anxiety and low self-esteem in children prompts schools to take action using third party specialists.

Mindscreen, a mental resilience programme designed to raise young people’s self-esteem and confidence, has partnered with leading London school, Barking Abbey, helping to further incorporate self-understanding and self-worth into their BEST habits Character Education curriculum in an effort to improve the future mental wellbeing of its pupils.

The collaboration between Mindscreen and Barking Abbey school comes at a time where levels of anxiety and depression in children have reached an all-time high, with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) overwhelmed, and learning support staff like Special Education Needs Co-ordinators (SENCos) overstretched.

After completing a successful trial, the Mindscreen experience® programme now has 660 of Barking Abbey’s pupils enrolled. The programme includes a unique personality profile for each child and 9 self-worth lesson plans designed to support pupils towards a raised sense of self-awareness and self-esteem – both of which are strongly associated with good mental health and better prospects once adulthood is reached.

A study by the Centre for Longitudinal Studies has concluded that instances of low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression amongst children are at their highest levels in a decade. With half of all cases of adult mental illness starting by the age of 14, prevention and early support for children are vital. The Mindscreen experience® programme provides SENCos with an early intervention assessment and development framework to encourage growth in children’s self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-confidence.

In addition to packages for use by teachers and SEN consultants in a school setting, Mindscreen also provides packages for the family setting, making it easier for parents to understand and connect with their children on a deeper level. Each toolkit is especially designed to help children to unlock their full potential by better understanding their sense of self, their unique strengths, motivations, and preferred methods of communication.

Gav Devereux, CEO and founder of Mindscreen said: “It’s extremely worrisome to know the levels of anxiety and depression in children have been sharply increasing year on year for the past decade. Our children are now growing up in a world that barely resembles what it did 30 years ago. Widespread gaming, social media addiction, cyber bullying, and negative labelling (not to mention the COVID-19 pandemic) are just a few of the factors that are collectively damaging our children’s self-worth, often causing them to underachieve in many aspects of their lives - including academic attainment."

“Whilst government legislation to help nurture our children’s wellbeing is slowly taking shape, progress is sluggish and it could be years before high level policy changes have a widespread effect. Schools like Barking Abbey recognise the importance of taking things into their own hands and we’re delighted to be a part of their ongoing drive to equip all of their pupils with the skills they need to be successful in their lives.”

Ms Lauren Casey, Longbridge Campus SENCO, Barking Abbey School said: “Using Mindscreen with our students is going to prove to be very beneficial and will give us an oversight of how we can support them. The fact that all areas, including potential careers, are covered will allow for discussions to be had with both the student and parents and, together, we can build on areas for development and unlock the student’s full potential. We are very excited about this collaboration.”

Find out more about the full Mindscreen experience® and view the packages available for schools and families here.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For more information, or to speak to a spokesperson, please get in touch here:

Mind Screen Ltd (trading as Mindscreen)

Contact: Gav Devereux, CEO and founder, Mindscreen.
Mobile telephone: +44 (0) 7970857077
Office telephone: +44 (0) 131 235 2396
Email: gavin@mindscreen.com

Web: https://www.mindscreen.com/

Barking Abbey School

Contact: Ms Lauren Casey, Longbridge Campus SENCO, Barking Abbey School.

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 3967 7030 | Ext. 8682

Email: CaseyL@barkingabbeyschool.co.uk

Web: https://www.barkingabbeyschool.co.uk/

About Mindscreen

Mindscreen is a Scottish company dedicated to improving young people’s self-esteem and confidence through the application of self-assessment and self-awareness tools & learning exercises.

The company’s mission is to: Help children flourish.