Introducing participation in children and young people’s mental health. Simply, participation means individual’s involvement in decisions that affect them. NHS England guidance on participation sets out two types of participation in healthcare: 1) people’s involvement in decisions about their own health – what it calls individual participation and 2) people’s involvement in the design and … More
Bolton Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services are promoting their new campaign Bekindtomymind. As part of the campaign, service users have created a film which aims to promote truth and honesty about what it is like to walk in the shoes of someone current experiencing difficulties which impact on their emotional wellbeing.
Tackle some serious issues and open a dialogue about mental health in your classroom with these great movies…
A collection of resources to support your class and promote the importance of mental wellbeing, for use with both primary and secondary students.
Guardian article explores research which claims that some family movies give a dangerous impression of madness.
Children’s Mental Health Week shines a light on the importance of children and young people’s mental health, launched by Place2Be, who provide mental health support in UK schools. It takes place from 3rd -9th February 2020 and this years theme is “Find Your Brave.” You can find lots of resources to support work around this here.
Around three children in every primary school class has a mental health problem (1). In addition, many children and young people struggle with a range of challenges such as bullying or bereavement.
FAN New Releases supported 606 Distribution’s title System Crasher in 2020 – a portrayal of the life of chaotic 9-year-old Benni (Helena Zengel) who keeps getting expelled from one foster home after another due to her uncontrollable aggression.
Too young to be held in treatment programmes and too violent to stay in group homes, she is a ‘system crasher’ – the unofficial, controversial name given to children who slip through the cracks of the German Child Protective Services. A seed of hope appears as Benni is given an anger management trainer to help her.
The title will appeal to fans of European cinema, people interested in mental health, and young audiences. You may wish to consider screening the film, supported by The Association of Child Protection Professionals, in your cinema to explore issues raised by Children’s Mental Health Week.
The film is available with English audio description and descriptive subtitles
Often misrepresented, mental health stories on screen can add to stigma around mental health conditions. Taking opportunities to raise awareness, and supporting education, cinemas can screen films to broaden understanding about mental health experiences, and ignite important discussions about how we look after each other.
Screenings can be for a range of audiences, from children and young people themselves to parents, carers and professionals who work with young people. Find some ideas for film screenings and events relating to Children’s Mental Health Week on this page.
The activity of visiting a cinema can be beneficial to wellbeing. You may wish to consider accessibility and support for a diverse range of audiences.
If you’re interested in running a relaxed screening, to help support audiences with additional needs in your cinema, find out more in our quick tips for running relaxed screenings. You may also find some transferable advice in our autism-friendly screenings guide. Ideally, consult with relevant groups in your area for advice and expertise on supporting audiences.
(1) NHS Digital (2018) ‘Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2017.” Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and information/publications/statistical/mental-health-of-children-and-young-people-in-england/2017/2017. Based on 12.8% of 5-19 year olds being identified as having a diagnosable mental health condition.
Mental wellbeing is an extremely important issue with young people, and film can be a wonderful tool for helping them explore their feelings and broach difficult subjects. Thought-provoking films can allow young people to discuss the many difficult and complex issues associated with mental wellbeing in an accessible way. Using film can help develop emotional … More
Mental Health Movie Monthly was launched in 2016 at Robert Gordon University by two lecturers with the aim of improving understanding around mental health and increasing empathy with people who experience mental health issues. Films chosen for their potential for fruitful debate are shown, followed by an open discussion in which all members of the … More
Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event when there is an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. The Mental Health Foundation started the event 21 years ago. The event has grown to become one of the biggest awareness weeks across the UK and globally.
Loneliness is affecting more and more of us in the UK and had a huge impact on our physical and mental health during the pandemic. Our connection to other people and our community is fundamental to protecting our mental health and we need to find better ways of tackling the epidemic of loneliness. We can all play a part in this.
Read more here.
Mental Health Awareness Week shines a light on mental health experiences. Often misrepresented, mental health stories on screen can add to stigma around mental health conditions. films can also present opportunities to raise awareness, support education and broaden understanding about mental health experiences, and ignite important discussions about how we look after each other. Find some highlighted films and events on this page, along with resources to support the wellbeing of cinema audiences.
We have provided some links to some interesting films below. If you are a filmmaker who works with themes of mental health and have work online, for example on your website, YouTube or Vimeo, you can let us know about it by completing our contact form here.
Online initiatives can help people and communities to connect and support people experiencing mental health problems. There are some resources included here for getting started with running events online.
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The UK cinema sector is recognised as a world-leader in terms of its work to support and welcome disabled cinema-goers. Many of the changes made by UK cinema operators in this regard pre-empted and indeed went further than the requirements placed on cinemas, and others providing goods, facilities or services to the public, by the … More
