A leading charity for youth mental health has called for people to come together to support each other and celebrate small acts we can all do to take care of ourselves and each other this World Mental Health Day.

Yesterday (8 October) classrooms and workplaces up and down the country took part in Hello Yellow, which involves wearing something yellow to work or school in support of Young Minds, a youth mental health charity. Thousands of schools took part in activities and special assemblies with the theme of youth mental health.

YoungMinds provides tools for young people to look after their mental health. Their website highlights information and advice for young people, their parents, and their teachers on youth mental health issues.

In the last two years, YoungMinds has seen a steep increase in the number of parents and carers seeking support on their digital services. Between 2019 and 2021, the charity has experienced a 48% rise in demand for its email, webchat and crisis phone line. A survey carried out at the height of the pandemic showed that 67% of parents and carers were deeply worried about the long-term impact of the pandemic on the young people they care for.

During the pandemic, alongside operating their free helpline, YoungMinds created a dedicated hub on their website with advice for parents on how to support their children.

Tom Madders, Director of Campaigns at YoungMinds, commented:

We know from parents who have been using our digital helpline services how hard life has been for many children over the last year. Some have struggled to cope with isolation, anxiety, fears about the future, bereavement or traumatic experiences – and others are finding the return to school and previous routines really challenging. Children who are already experiencing inequalities are likely to continue to be disproportionately affected.

We’ve all felt the stress of lockdown, been worried about our families and felt uncertain about the future. It’s been difficult watching the young people in our lives struggling too. Often it can be the little things we do in our day to day lives that can make a big difference to young people’s mental health to remind them that they’re not alone. Wearing an item of yellow for Hello Yellow is one little thing we can all do to support the young people in our lives, but also to raise vital funds for YoungMinds so that we can ensure no young person feels alone with their mental health.

To find out more about YoungMinds, go to: youngminds.org.uk/helloyellow.