Hummingbird Project helps children build mental health skills before crisis point

A recent report highlighted deeply concerning figures showing that more than one million children in England were referred to mental health services in 2024–25, with anxiety the most common reason for referral. The Children’s Commissioner has warned that demand is rising faster than services can respond, with many children waiting months or even years for support.

For MedEquip4Kids, this reinforces something we see every day through our work in schools: children and young people need support long before they reach crisis point.

That is why we created the Hummingbird Project.

Hummingbird is a six-week Positive Psychology programme delivered in schools across the North West. It gives pupils mental health and wellbeing education in a safe, accessible and engaging way, helping them understand their emotions, build resilience and learn practical tools they can use in everyday life.

The programme is a multi-component intervention, meaning pupils are introduced to a range of wellbeing strategies rather than just one approach. These include gratitude, kindness, mindfulness, character strengths, resilience, teamwork and hope for the future. Not every strategy will work for every child, but by offering a toolkit, every pupil has a better chance of finding something that helps them.

Mindfulness can be particularly useful for reducing anxiety, as it helps children slow down, notice how they are feeling and bring their attention back to the present moment. In Hummingbird sessions, pupils learn simple mindfulness techniques they can use when they feel worried, overwhelmed or unsettled.

The impact of these different components can be seen beautifully in a poster created by one of the pupils who took part in Hummingbird. Reflecting on what they had learned each week, the pupil wrote:

“On week 1, we learned about happiness and how to make us feel happy and doing things that we LOVE.”

“On week 2, we learned how to be kind and respectful. This helps us to be calm and happy and to make other people, your friends/family SMILE.”

“On week 3, we learned to slow down. We also used our senses to see what we can hear, touch, taste, see and smell. This makes us calm and RELAX.”

“On week 4, we discussed on what makes us strong. When we think of it, we did think of talents and SKILLS.”

“On week 5, we had a very fun activity with hula hoops. This was all about teamwork and being calm all the way through it!”

“On week 6, we learned about feeling good about your future. Also about feeling calm and thinking about what you want to be in your future LIFE!”

The pupil’s words show how the Hummingbird Project helps children build a broad set of emotional wellbeing skills. They learned about happiness and what they enjoy. They explored kindness and relationships. They practised mindfulness by slowing down and using their senses, helping them feel “calm” and “RELAX”. They thought about their strengths, their skills, teamwork and their hopes for the future.

These are simple lessons, but they can make a real difference. For a child experiencing anxiety, being able to pause, notice their senses, identify what helps them feel calm, and remember their own strengths can be an important first step in managing difficult feelings.

We also measure our results. Hummingbird uses recognised evaluation tools including the YP-CORE, which can pick up signs of anxiety and depression in children and young people. Our evaluation shows significant improvements, alongside improvements in wellbeing and hope.

The report also highlighted rising referrals linked to neurodivergence, including autism and ADHD. MedEquip4Kids is responding to this need by developing a tailored version of Hummingbird for young people with Special Educational Needs, including pupils with autism and ADHD. This new version is being designed to make the programme more flexible, accessible and responsive to different ways of learning, communicating and experiencing the world.

The scale of children’s mental health referrals shows why early intervention matters. Specialist services are vital for children who need them, but we also need preventative support in schools and communities, helping children learn about mental health before problems escalate.

Children deserve support before they are in crisis. They deserve tools they can use, language to explain how they feel, and hope for the future.

That is what Hummingbird is here to provide.