Supporting Emotional Well-Being in Children and Young People

October 9, 2024

Promoting Emotional Well-Being in Children and Young People

In this post

Introduction

Children and young people go through various stages of development and face many challenges as they grow, such as pursuing their education, finding their identities and growing up in an increasingly digital and often uncertain world. Many internal and external factors can affect their emotional and mental health and well-being.

Emotional well-being is crucial for children and young people’s overall development and safety and shapes their future adult lives. When they have good emotional well-being, they can form positive relationships, cope with stress, handle setbacks, and accomplish more in life. On the flip side, poor emotional well-being can result in relationship issues, challenging behaviour, difficulties in school and even physical and mental illness because of stress and emotional distress.

In the latest children’s well-being indicator review, “children said they wanted to have opportunities to gain the relevant skills and education to be able to live independently and follow their aspired career path”. Adults play a vital role in providing them with these opportunities and fostering positive emotional well-being. Whether you are a caregiver, educator or mentor, this blog will provide guidance and strategies for supporting the emotional well-being of children and young people.

Understanding Emotional Well-Being

The Mental Health Foundation defines emotional well-being as:

“A positive sense of well-being which enables an individual to be able to function in society and meet the demands of everyday life; people in good mental health have the ability to recover effectively from illness, change, or misfortune.”

It is often known as emotional wellness, which is essentially concerned with a child’s or young person’s emotional state, e.g. how happy and satisfied they are and the quality of their everyday experiences. It is a vital aspect of their mental well-being, which describes their mental state and encompasses physical, psychological and social well-being.

Emotional well-being is significant in the overall development of children and young people. According to Public Health England:

“It is widely recognised that a child’s emotional health and well-being influences their cognitive development and learning as well as their physical and social health and their mental well-being in adulthood”.

Emotional well-being and academic performance

Children and young people who feel emotionally secure are likely to learn better, as they tend to be more engaged and focused, thus enhancing their information retention, memory and recall. It can also help develop essential skills they require for school, further education and their future careers, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. Overall, it can positively influence their cognitive development and academic performance.

According to a report by Morrison Gutman & Vorhaus, children with higher levels of emotional, behavioural, social, and school well-being tend to have better academic achievement and school engagement.

Emotional well-being and relationships

Emotional well-being can help children and young people interact socially and communicate better, thus fostering positive relationships with adults, friends and peers. It can lead to healthier social development, which can positively influence other areas of development. Maintaining healthy relationships is also important for children and young people’s emotional well-being.

Emotional well-being and mental health

Children and young people with good emotional well-being will typically be able to cope with life’s challenges, remain positive and have reduced stress. They are also more likely to be physically active and look after themselves, which can positively impact their mental health and overall well-being.

If emotional well-being is neglected, especially early on in a child’s life, or it continues to be poor as they grow, it can lead to negative impacts. It may result in behavioural challenges, poor academic performance, social isolation/withdrawal, and mental/physical health issues. Overall, it can have lasting effects on their adulthood and future.

Recognising Signs of Emotional Distress

Emotional distress is a state of emotional turmoil or extreme mental anguish that anyone, including children and young people, can experience, and it can affect their health and everyday lives. Some of the common signs and symptoms of emotional distress in children and young people at various ages include (UNICEF Parenting):

Ages 0-3 years:

Clingier than usual.
Behaving younger than their age.
Sleeping and eating pattern changes.
Increased irritability.
High hyperactivity.
Fearfulness.
Frequent crying.
Increased demands.

Ages 4-6 years:

Clinginess.
Behaving younger than their age.
Changes in sleep and eating patterns.
Higher irritability.
Reduced concentration.
Increasingly inactive or hyperactive.
Withdrawal from play.
Anxiety or worry.

Ages 7-12 years:

Becoming withdrawn, e.g. disengaging from friends and becoming more isolated.
Regular concern about others affected.
Changes in sleep and eating patterns.
More fearful.
Aggressive.
Restless.
Poor memory and concentration.
Frequent discussion of distressing events.

Ages 13-17 years (teens):

Intense grief.
Excessive concern for others.
Guilt and shame.
Defying authority.
Taking more risks.
Aggressive.
Self-destructive behaviour.
Hopelessness.

Physical symptoms:

Fatigue.
Chest tightness.
Breathlessness.
Dry mouth.
Muscle weakness.
Stomach (tummy) ache.
Nausea (feeling sick).
Dizziness.
Shaking.
Headaches.
General aches.

It is important to note that some of these signs and symptoms can be indicative of other conditions, such as underlying physical ill health, stress, depression and anxiety. Also, every child is unique and may show various signs and symptoms.

Caregivers and educators can identify the signs of emotional distress by observing children and young people, paying attention to any behavioural, physical, social or emotional changes, and being aware of physical symptoms. They may also want to discuss with each other any signs in the home and educational setting.

If they suspect a child or young person is experiencing emotional distress, they should encourage them to express their feelings and thoughts and actively listen to their concerns with empathy. They should provide emotional support, acknowledge their feelings, offer reassurance, and seek professional help.

Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment

It is vital to create a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment for children and young people, as it is essential for healthy cognitive, emotional and social development and promotes well-being. It also makes them feel heard, comfortable, supported, respected and valued, helps them to form positive relationships and gives them a sense of safety.

Caregivers, mentors and educators should create safe and supportive environments in homes, schools, and communities. Here are some examples of how they can achieve this:

Physical environment – can significantly impact children’s and young people’s emotional well-being. An organised and structured environment can enhance their safety and well-being and make them feel secure. Conversely, if the physical environment is chaotic, it can cause stress, anxiety and challenging behaviour. Some strategies include:

Set rules to maintain safety.
Keep spaces clean, tidy and well-organised so they can move freely.
Remove any hazards that could cause injury and ill health and create child-friendly spaces.
Have zones for different activities.
Be consistent when storing items and label storage areas so everything has a rightful place.
Create a calm and peaceful environment.
Involve children and young people in organising spaces.
Have an emotional focus within the home or setting, e.g. bright and colourful walls, displays and posters.
Supervise, especially during risky activities.

Open communication and positive interactions – are vital in fostering trust and building positive relationships with children and young people in homes, schools, and communities. It is also important for communicating changes and promoting a welcoming and inclusive environment. Some strategies include:

Model appropriate behaviours from which children and young people can learn.
Communicate to them in an age-appropriate way.
Share feelings, which can help them do the same, but be mindful of the impact of their own emotions and non-verbal cues.
Give them opportunities to express their feelings without judgment, fear or ridicule.
Actively listen to them with empathy, understanding and compassion.
Provide comfort when they are distressed.
Let them know in advance about any changes to the environment.
Provide opportunities for collaboration and teamwork.

Age-appropriate activities – to promote learning, development and well-being and foster independence. Some strategies include:

Provide age-appropriate resources, toys and games that are engaging and stimulating but also promote learning and development, e.g. crafts and art supplies, books, educational toys and outdoor activities.
Interact with them in various activities.
Give them jobs and roles around the home, community or educational setting to promote confidence and self-esteem.
Allow time for free play, especially for younger children.
Encourage them to play with other children or interact with their peers.
Introduce relaxation techniques to promote calmness and reduce stress and anxiety.

Consistent routines – are essential for predictability and stability, which can influence emotional well-being. Some strategies include:

Form structured routines in the home and educational setting and be consistent.
Gradually introduce any changes in routines where possible and explain to them the reasons for them.

It is important to understand the unique backgrounds, needs and interests of each child and young person to provide an appropriate environment at home and in the educational setting. CPD Online College has further information on creating safe environments for children here.

Promoting Emotional Awareness and Expression

It can often be hard to define emotions and teach children and young people how to be emotionally aware and express themselves. However, it is important to encourage them to identify, label, and express their emotions for the following reasons:

It is crucial for their emotional and social development, as it will promote communication and positive relationships with others.
It will help them become more empathetic and tolerant, as identifying emotions and expressing feelings can help them look at other’s perspectives and situations.
It positively impacts their mental and emotional health and well-being when they learn to express their emotions and talk about their feelings.
It can help reduce challenging behaviour, such as crying, aggression, tantrums and risky behaviour, as they can better communicate their emotions and feel more understood.
It can promote emotional intelligence, associated with improved learning engagement and academic outcomes.

Caregivers and educators can provide various practical activities and exercises for developing emotional awareness and expression skills. Here are some examples:

Mindfulness practices and relaxation exercises – whether at home or school, introduce children and young people to various techniques to help them develop emotional regulation skills and manage stress. Some examples include deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, forest bathing and guided imagery.

Books and stories – read stories and highlight the various emotions the characters go through, and encourage children to relate to them and share their own thoughts and experiences.

Journaling – encourage children and young people to keep a journal where they can write down their feelings and thoughts. It can promote self-awareness and self-expression.

Art – children and young people can be encouraged to express their emotions through art using various media, such as painting, drawing, collages and modelling. They could use magazines and find pictures of people displaying different emotions.

Games and other activities – depend on the children’s ages and interests. Some examples include:

Emotion charades – they could act out various emotions and feelings using facial expressions and body language, and their peers could guess what they are.
Emotion cards – have various facial expressions on them, and children match the emotion to the expression.
Emotions board games – the board can have different emotions. Children and young people can roll a dice, and when they land on a particular emotion, they can describe when they last felt that way.
Mirroring – look in a mirror with a child or young person, take turns making different facial expressions and guess the emotions.
Role-playing – act out various situations with different emotional responses and get them to practice the appropriate response.
Online games – there are many games on platforms, such as YouTube.

It is important to make activities, exercises and games fun for children and young people to learn about emotions. Some further examples of activities and resources are on the following:

Teaching Coping Skills and Resilience

The world today is fast-paced and ever-changing, and there are many challenges along the way. Teaching children and young people coping skills and resilience-building techniques is essential for their development and emotional well-being. It helps them to manage stressors, such as family issues, social challenges and academic pressure, which can lead to emotional distress and long-term mental health impacts. It also provides them with coping strategies for life’s challenges and helps them adapt to new situations and face uncertainty confidently.

Teaching strategies to help children navigate challenges and setbacks:

Problem-solving – knowing how to solve problems is important for developing coping and resilience skills. Teach children and young people to problem-solve by the following:

Model problem-solving behaviours and set a good example. Children watch adults and will learn how they solve problems.
Encourage them to explore and experiment by providing opportunities to foster their natural curiosity.
Involve them in family discussions and solving problems.
Give them tasks and activities where they solve problems, think critically and identify solutions. Twinkl has various examples here.

Stress management – learning to manage stress effectively is key to building resilience, reducing anxiety, learning emotional regulation and promoting health and well-being. There are many evidence-based techniques to teach children and young people, such as:

Mindfulness – teach them various ways to stay in the present moment and be aware of their emotions, e.g. body scans, meditation, focused breathing, mindful walking, etc. These methods can reduce anxiety and enhance well-being.
Relaxation exercises – include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, visualisation and yoga in everyday routines. They can promote calmness and reduce anxiety.
Self-care – teach children the importance of looking after themselves, e.g. eating healthily, exercising, sleeping well, spending time outdoors and doing fun activities. Explore Learning has further information here.
Setting realistic goals – help children to set achievable goals and break down tasks into manageable chunks to reduce stress.

Positive thinking – teach children and young people to think positively, even in the face of adversity and setbacks, for example:

Be a good role model, show them how to handle challenges positively and focus on solutions.
Encourage them to see setbacks as opportunities for growth.
Teach them to replace negative thoughts with positive ones, e.g. “I will try my best” instead of “I cannot do this”.
Encourage them to celebrate small wins and their effort to meet their goals rather than focusing on just the outcome.
Fill their environment with positive influences and people, whether face-to-face or online.
Teach gratitude and encourage them to regularly share what they are grateful for, e.g. in a gratitude journal.
Encourage them to be kind and compassionate to others to promote well-being.

Children and young people must also be allowed to express their emotions and be reassured that everyone feels sad or frustrated at times. Helping them to acknowledge and process their emotions can help them develop coping skills and become more emotionally resilient.

Encouraging Healthy Relationships

Healthy relationships are crucial in promoting emotional well-being. In early childhood, children need to develop secure attachments with their caregivers to feel safe, comfortable and respected. As they grow and develop, positive relationships make them feel supported and understood – helping them to learn how to regulate their emotions and cope with life’s stresses.

Children and young people’s social skill development, e.g. communication, cooperation and empathy, also relies on healthy relationships with adults and their peers. They will observe and learn what others do and mimic these behaviours. These vital skills are essential in fostering trust and establishing and maintaining positive relationships with others in all aspects of life.

Healthy relationships are critical for children’s and young people’s mental and emotional health and well-being. Exposure to nurturing and consistent relationships where they feel loved and accepted can promote self-confidence and self-esteem. It can also reduce stress and prevent mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression.

Teaching children and young people communication skills, empathy, and conflict resolution techniques is vital in fostering positive relationships with peers and adults.

Communication skills

These skills encompass various abilities, such as

Sending and receiving information in different forms, e.g. spoken, written, typed and visual.
Using and interpreting body language and other non-verbal cues.
Understanding others and being understood.
Active listening, e.g. listening intently with empathy and without interruption or judgment.

Teach children and young people these skills by:

Communicating with them in an age-appropriate way

Convey complex information in a way they can understand.
Adapt teaching materials and activities to meet their needs and learning styles.

Expanding their vocabulary

Introduce a range of new words and encourage them to learn them through various activities. Speech and Language UK has some tips here.

Teaching them to listen actively

Practice active listening techniques with children by encouraging them to listen without interrupting.
Introduce various activities, such as listening circles, where children take turns to talk and then listen to others speak.

Creating role-play scenarios

Children and young people can role-play to practice expressing their thoughts and feelings.

Teaching them about non-verbal cues

Introduce activities where they can learn why facial expressions, body language, eye contact and tone of voice are important.

Empathy

Teaching children and young people to be empathetic is vital, as it will help them understand the feelings of others and look at things from other people’s perspectives. To help children and young people develop these skills:

Demonstrate empathy when interacting with others and model the desired behaviours, e.g. listening without judgment and with kindness when others express their thoughts and feelings. Children and young people learn through observing and mimicking adults.
Introduce various activities to get them to think about how and why others feel how they do and understand different perspectives. Use stories, media, discussions and empathy mapping.
Involve them in campaigns such as Empathy Day, which is in June every year.

Conflict resolution techniques

Conflicts between adults and children and amongst children can occur, thus negatively impacting their health and well-being. Teaching them conflict-resolution techniques is vital to reduce stress and maintain positive relationships. Here are some tips:

Teach them to recognise their emotions relating to the conflict and identify the cause of the disagreement.
Help them manage their emotions during conflicts by various techniques, e.g. counting to ten, stepping away, deep breathing and calm-down corners for younger children.
Provide them with a structured approach to deal with conflicts and solve problems, e.g. identify the problem and causes, brainstorm, develop a plan and agree on a solution.
Teach them how to communicate effectively, as it can help de-escalate conflicts.
Model positive behaviours when handling disagreements and resolving conflicts.
Use positive reinforcement, i.e. reward them if they interact positively with others and resolve conflicts peacefully.

Provide children and young people opportunities to work and cooperate as a team. Also, be consistent in the home and educational setting to reinforce positive behaviours to help children and young people learn and develop vital skills for healthy relationships.

Empowering Self-Care Practices

BBC Bitesize defines self-care as:

“A broad term for anything we do for ourselves solely for the purpose of looking after our body or minds. It means looking after yourself physically, emotionally and socially”.

Self-care is crucial in maintaining children’s and young people’s emotional well-being, as it helps them healthily deal with their emotions, lowers their stress levels, reduces anxiety and prevents burnout. It also helps build emotional resilience, making it easier to bounce back from setbacks and cope with life’s challenges, improves their physical and mental health and well-being, and enhances their relationships with others.

Practical self-care strategies for children and young people:

Healthy diet – eating well and keeping hydrated is important for overall health and wellness. Children and young people should be encouraged to eat healthily and avoid sugary foods and drinks, especially energy drinks. Further information is on:

Good sleep hygiene – sufficient and quality sleep is vitally important, and many factors can affect children’s and young people’s sleep. Great Ormond Street Hospital has further information on sleep hygiene and some tips here.

Regular exercise – physical activity can increase the release of happy hormones (e.g. dopamine) and boost mood and fitness. Children and young people can do various types of exercise, such as gardening, yoga, running, walking, cycling, sports, dancing, etc. They should also get outdoors and spend some time in nature.

Relaxation techniques – these can improve mood, reduce stress and promote well-being. Some examples include meditation, mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, visualisation, deep breathing, journaling, etc. Here are some links with further information and resources:

Enjoyable activities, hobbies and interests – children and young people should be encouraged to do relaxing or fun activities. It can be simple things like running a bath, reading a book, playing an instrument, painting or drawing, cooking, playing games, and going out with friends. They should limit technology time, and it is vital to set boundaries to ensure they get a healthy balance.

Further information

Seeking Professional Support

Children and young people experiencing significant emotional distress may require professional support, and it is crucial to seek it and not hesitate. Early intervention can make a significant difference to their emotional and mental health and well-being and reduce the risk of self-harm. Not receiving appropriate support can negatively affect all aspects of their life, including their education, relationships and prospects.

There is plenty of help and support out there for children, young people, and their families, such as:

Mental health services – there are many types of services available, such as Children and young people’s mental health services, which are typically delivered and funded by the NHS and available to those under 18 and some under 25. It can include the following:

Mental health support teams (MHSTs) in schools and colleges.
NHS-funded services from local mental health organisations such as charities and social enterprises.
NHS services, e.g. children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

Counselling – children, young people and their families may be able to access counselling through the NHS. They can visit their GP, who may refer them. Alternatively, they may be able to self-refer to talking therapies if the service is available in their area for their age group. There is also private counselling, but there will be a cost. BACP has further information on how counselling can help children and young people here.

Helplines – many charities have helplines, e.g. Childline, Samaritans and YoungMinds. Mind has a list of useful contacts here.

Support groups – children, young people and their families may have support groups in their community to meet like-minded people who can relate to them and discuss various issues. They may find support groups on GOV.UK – Find a local support group for children, young people and families.

Self-help resources – many resources provide guided self-help advice and tips, e.g. online guides, apps and tools. Some examples include:

Children/young people and their families and caregivers should remember that they are not alone. If they need further help and support, they can reach out to professionals, such as a GP, teacher, social worker, health visitor or school nurse. They can also contact a charity helpline for advice.

Further information and help:

Child supported through mental health issue

Conclusion

Emotional well-being is critical for children’s and young people’s healthy development and their future success and happiness. Caregivers and educators need to understand emotional well-being and prioritise it to provide them with the support and resources they need to thrive.

There are many strategies caregivers and educators can adopt to promote emotional well-being in the home and educational setting. They should create a safe and supportive environment, promote emotional awareness and expression, and teach children and young people coping skills and resilience. It will make them feel safe, secure and valued and help them cope with adversity and life’s challenges.

Healthy relationships are essential in promoting emotional well-being, and children and young people should be encouraged to foster them. Caregivers and educators should model desired behaviours and help them to learn skills, such as communication, empathy, and conflict resolution techniques, which will enhance positive relationships with peers and adults.

To reduce the risk of stress, emotional distress and long-term mental health problems, caregivers and educators should empower children to practice self-care. It is vital to recognise the signs of emotional distress and seek professional support as early as possible to ensure children and young people receive the help that meets their needs.

Implement the strategies discussed in this blog post and create environments that promote emotional well-being for all children and young people. It will help them to lead happier, healthier and more successful lives and give them the best possible chances in the future.