Strategies for wellbeing, promoting

positive mental health in the early

years
Ellen Newman
Hunter Institute of Mental Health
 Learning outcomes
By the end of today you will…
• Be able to identify and apply the concepts in
Connections to your workplace practices.
• Have increased knowledge in children’s mental health
and identifying when children may need additional
help.
• Feel more confident in supporting children and
families.
• Have fun!
Mental Health

Mental illness

Mental
health
difficulties
Put your hand up if in your current role you are
promoting social and emotional wellbeing
(SEW)

Keep your hand up if you can think of 5 ways

you are doing this.
Put your hand up if in your current role you are
promoting Mental Health (MH)

Keep your hand up if you can think of 5 ways

you are doing this.
 What is mental health?
• Mental health
positive capacity
• Mental health social
and emotional wellbeing
• Mental health
mental illness
 Mental health in early childhood
• A positive capacity; viewed within the context of
each child’s development.

• Time of rapid development - for brain and body.

A child’s feelings, behaviours and abilities will
change over time.

• Normal for children to express a range of

emotions – happiness, sadness & anger.
 Mental health difficulties
• Challenges to your
wellbeing.
• Can be influenced by
environmental factors
– e.g. stress,
relationships, work,
trauma.
• Fluctuates over time.
 Mental illness and
neurodevelopmental disorders
• Mental Illness – impacts on thoughts, feelings,
behaviour.
• Diagnosed condition.
• 45% of the population will experience at some
stage in their life.
• ND disorder – difference in the way brain
develops.
• Common childhood examples:
– Anxiety and related disorders
– Depression and related disorders
– Autism spectrum disorders
– Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

• Can be ongoing, or occur in single/series of

episodes.
 Why is children’s mental health
important?
• Poor mental health and wellbeing is associated
with poorer physical health, reduced social
functioning, behavioural problems, lower
academic achievement and higher substance
abuse.
• Mental health promotion can effectively reduce
mental health risk factors and increase protective
factors that can improve mental health outcomes
for children.
 Mental health practices
• How are you currently supporting children’s
mental health in your workplace?
• Are there any practices you are currently
doing that you didn’t realise were supporting
mental health?
 The role of educators
• Understand factors that influence mental health
& wellbeing.
• Promote positive development.
• Identify and provide additional support.
• Partnerships with families and communities
• Inclusivity, and
• Caring for your own & colleagues mental health.
Small Group Activity
 Young Minds Matter Survey (2015)
www.youngmindsmatter.org.au

• 1 in 7 4-17 yr olds had mental health problem in

previous 12 months = 560,000 children
• Prevalence rates stable but illnesses have
changed:
• in ADHD

• in depression
• prevalence in families where other risk factors
are present: parental unemployment; sole
parent families
 Mental illness in children and young
people
• Highest prevalence of mental illness is in
young people 12-17 years.
• Depression and anxiety are the most common
forms of mental illness in young people.
– 1 in 13 children aged 11 – 17yrs meet diagnostic
criteria for major depressive disorders
– Girls aged 16 – 17 this is 1 in 5.
 Mental health statistics
In last 12 months for young people 12 – 17yrs:
• 1 in 12 had self-harmed
– Girls (16-17 yrs = 1 in 6)
• 1 in 13 had seriously considered suicide
• 1 in 40 had attempted suicide
– Girls 16-17 yrs, 1 in 7 considered suicide
– 1 in 20 attempted suicide
Brain development
 Risk and protective factors
• Risk factors
– Individual
– Family
– Community.

• Protective factors
– Enhance resilience, support positive development.

• Role of educators…?
– May not be able to control risk factors but can work to
increase protective factors.
 Brain architecture and development
• The architecture of the brain is constructed
through an ongoing process that begins
before birth.
• Brain architecture is comprised of billions of
connections between individual neurons across
different areas of the brain.
• Simpler neural connections and skills form first,
followed by more complex circuits and skills.
• The interactions of genes and experience shape
the developing brain.
 Brain Builders video

http://www.albertafamilywellness.org/resources/video/how-brains-are-built-
core-story-brain-development
 The developing brain

Graph Source: Pat Levitt (2009). For complete reference information, please
see the version of this graph that appears in the interactive feature "Core
Concepts in the Science of Early Childhood Development."
How can educators support positive
brain development?
– Positive, caring relationships.
– Adults who respond to the child’s feelings, needs and
interests.
– Opportunities to be actively involved in meaningful
experiences.
– Help children learn to identify and control emotions.
– Cognition and learning.
– Movement – coordination.
– Language development.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhoo
d/parents/mch/makingmostofchildhood.pdf
 Anxiety
• Everyone experiences stress and anxiousness at
times – in moderation this can be beneficial.
• Anxiety experienced in anxiety disorders differs from
normal response:
– More prolonged
– Not subsiding when prompting event/threat passes
– Occurring out of the blue without a particular reason
– Can impair relationships, schooling and everyday functioning.
 Identifying anxiety
• Observe behaviours over period of time.
• Discuss with colleagues and parents.
• Keep in context of child’s overall development.
• Withdrawn, adverse to change, upsets easily,
prolonged stress, worry and anxiousness,
physical symptoms.
 Early Intervention for mental health
 Assesses and deals with
mental health difficulties.
 Occurs in early stages of a
potential mental illness or
disorder.
 Aims to prevent the illness
or reduce its impact.
 EI for mental health can
occur at any age.
 Early childhood mental health
difficulties
 Emotional and behavioural difficulties.

 Externalising behaviours – tantrums, defiance,

aggression, impulsivity, overactivity.

 Internalising behaviours – fearfulness, anxiety,

sadness, guilt, numbness, withdrawal.
 Strategies to support children

• Group strategies
– Relaxation
– Positive self-talk
– Discussing emotions
– Predictable routines
– Clear instructions.
 One-on-one strategies
• Internalising
– Allow them space to observe rather than
participate
– Reassure they can come back to activities
– Physical and verbal reassurance.
• Externalising
– Choices instead of demands
– Dislike the action
– Reward positive behaviour.
 Child wellbeing plan
An optional tool that educators can complete when a child at
their service, has additional mental health needs and could
benefit from extra support from their service.
• Strengths-based.
• Aims to ensure consistent, supportive and individualised
care is provided to children with additional mental health
needs.
• Complete with team of educators and parents/caregivers.
• Update on a regular basis.
• Make sure all educators/staff that work with the child are
aware of the plan and advised when changes are made.
 Effective communication can be
achieved by:
Verbal communication
 Active listening:
- Look at the person talking;
- Nod or saying “uh huh”
- Wait for the other person to
finish
- Ask clarifying questions.
 Be clear and share relevant
information.
 Use easy to understand
language.
 Use “I” statements.
Non-verbal communication
 Body language including:
- Tone of voice
- Facial expressions / Gestures
- Appropriate eye contact
- Be attentive
- Avoiding fidgeting
- Have an open body posture.
 Difficult conversations with families

• Having difficult conversations with families is

challenging but important.
• Identify a child’s difficulties and discuss
support options to achieve the best outcomes
for the child.
 During the conversation
• Emphasise your are working as a team with
the family to support the child.
• Ask whether the family has noticed specific
behaviours.
• Focus on why you are concerned, without
making judgements or diagnoses.
• Share strategies.
 Looking After Yourself
• Physical health.
• Relationships.
• Work.
• Interests.
• Manage your stress.
• Spirituality.
 Summary
• Connections Resource.
• What is mental health, importance of mental
health in the early years.
• Brain development.
• Questions?

Ellen.Newman@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
 Further Information / Resources
www.himh.org.au/connections
www.responseability.org
www.kidsmatter.edu.au
www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
www.raisingchildren.net.au
www.snaicc.org.au
www.developingchild.harvard.edu
www.copmi.net.au
 Further Information / Resources
• Harvard Center for the Developing Child
(www.developingchild.harvard.edu )
• Australian Trauma, Loss and Grief Network (ANU)
• Michael McQueen (Key note from ECA 2014
Conference “The shape of things to come”)
(www.ecaconference.com.au).
• Alberta Family Wellness
www.albertafamilywellness.org