The Voices of Children and Young People

Psychosocial and
Mental Health:
One of Children’s
Greatest Concerns
Mental health and psychosocial wellbeing are
fundamental to our collective and individual ability
as human beings to think, emote, interact with each
other, earn a living and enjoy life. Yet, child helpline
data reveals that psychosocial and mental health is
one of the most prominent reasons for contacting a
child helpline, indicating that difficulties in this area
are widespread among children and young people.
It can also be concluded that child helplines play an
important role in addressing these difficulties. Indeed,
child helplines typically engage with children and young
people at an early stage of emotional difficulties, when
support and intervention can be most effective.
Mental health can be defined, according to World
Health Organization, as a state of wellbeing in which an
individual realises his or her own potential, can cope
with the normal stresses of life, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community. 2 Mental health
and psychosocial issues are closely related. Namely,
from birth onward children, young people and adults
continuously learn in interaction with their direct
surroundings. It is in the interaction with others that
children and young people define their experience of
tranquillity and trust, their sense of self, their identity
and their confidence and competences for social
interaction, which are all paramount to psychosocial
and mental health. Conversely, the absence of a tranquil,
safe and stimulating social environment can put children
and young people’s mental health development at risk.
Especially notable risk factors are experiences with ill
health, school and relationship stress, family difficulties,
abusive relationships and bisexual or homosexual
orientation as well as the experience of war or natural
disasters.
The case of 17-year-old Mark from Ireland is
illustrative of how child helplines can make a
difference when psychosocial and mental health is at
stake. When Mark called the child helpline, he initially
told the counsellor: “I’m anxious all the time and feeling
very low. I’m lost, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
I have a good family, friends, do well at school and I’m
not being bullied. My mum tells me to use my coping
skills, but they don’t work. She tries to listen but she
doesn’t know the true extent of my feelings. I can’t
cope anymore.” The counsellor talked to Mark about
his difficulties and engaged in active listening to help
Mark explore his options. Eventually, Mark decided to
have an honest conversation with his mother about
how he was feeling. Several days later he called to say:
“Thank you so much for listening. I needed that.”
Child helplines typically
engage with children
and young people at an
early stage of emotional
difficulties, when support
and intervention can
be most effective.
2 WHO (2014, August). Mental health: a state of well-being. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/mental_health/en/
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