Hummingbird evidence contributes to Parliamentary inquiry on children and young people’s mental health
Research and learning from the Hummingbird Project has been submitted to a major House of Commons inquiry examining how children and young people’s mental health is supported across England.
The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Inquiry, being conducted jointly by the House of Commons Education Committee and Health and Social Care Committee, is examining the support available to children and young people in education and community settings, including its relationship with specialist services such as CAMHS.
Our written evidence draws substantially on research and practical learning from the Hummingbird Project, MedEquip4Kids’ six-week Positive Psychology programme for children and young people.
The briefing was led by Dr Chathurika Kannangara, Associate Teaching Professor in Psychology at the University of Greater Manchester, working collaboratively with MedEquip4Kids and academic partners at the University of Chester and The Open University. Hummingbird Project Development Manager Catherine North contributed feedback gathered from teachers whose pupils have participated in the programme.
The submission describes Hummingbird as a preventative approach to mental health which equips children with practical psychological skills and encourages schools to focus not simply on responding when problems reach crisis point, but on actively building wellbeing, hope and resilience.
Evidence from the programme highlights the importance of helping school staff become “wellbeing coaches” rather than “crisis managers”, and recommends a greater emphasis on early intervention and prevention. It also stresses the importance of partnership working between education, mental health services, families and communities.
The submission makes a series of recommendations for public policy, including stronger mental health training for school staff, greater involvement of children and young people in designing mental health interventions, increased support for community-based prevention, adaptations for children with SEND, and a stronger emphasis on wellbeing within education and accountability frameworks.
Importantly, the evidence submitted to Parliament combines academic research with experience from the classroom. Teacher feedback gathered through Hummingbird describes children becoming more confident about approaching staff when they feel low, developing greater awareness of their emotions and independently using techniques to calm and regulate themselves.
For MedEquip4Kids, the submission is also a powerful example of the value of the partnerships that have underpinned Hummingbird since its development.
Working alongside university researchers has enabled a programme delivered locally in North West schools to generate a growing academic evidence base, while our relationships with schools ensure that research remains connected to the experiences of teachers and pupils.
The Parliamentary submission brings those different perspectives together.
Catherine North, Hummingbird Project Development Manager, said:
“Hummingbird is very much rooted in the communities and schools we work with in the North West, so it is particularly exciting to see evidence from the programme contributing to a national discussion about children’s mental health. It also shows what can happen when charities, schools and universities work together. Our academic partners bring research expertise, while schools and teachers help us understand what works in practice. Together, we can build a much stronger case for investing in preventative approaches that help children develop the skills to protect their wellbeing before they reach crisis point.”
The Hummingbird evidence forms part of a much wider body of evidence being considered by the Committees as they examine how the country can better support children and young people’s mental health. The full Hummingbird submission, Written Evidence CYM0086, can be read on the UK Parliament website.
Comments