Wellbeing through reading this Children’s Mental Health Week

February 1st 2021

With many of us feeling the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns and uncertainty about the future, ensuring our own and our students’ wellbeing is maintained is more important than ever. Studies are showing that the pandemic is putting a huge strain on many young people, particularly those who were already struggling with their mental health – a recent Prince’s Trust survey found that 63% of 16-25 year-olds reported that the pandemic had left them “always” or “often” feeling anxious.

So what can schools do to address this, and counter the negative impacts of the pandemic on the wellbeing of their pupils?

The role of schools in supporting children and young people’s wellbeing is widely recognised; research shows that a child’s emotional health and wellbeing influences their cognitive development and learning, and therefore improves student attainment, along with creating a happier, more positive school environment:

“When schools invest in the happiness and wellbeing of their school communities they’re more likely to grow healthier, happier people, create stronger relationships and develop better learners”
– Adrian Bethune.

A whole-school approach

Public Health England promote a whole-school approach to managing pupils’ mental health and wellbeing, based on eight key principles, which include valuing diversity, enabling the student voice to influence decisions and identifying need and providing targeted support where it is needed.   

However, with the disruption brought by Covid-19, months of missed teaching and now with the majority of children learning at home, schools are currently facing a whole host of challenges beyond and in addition to what they may have been dealing with pre-pandemic – and are having to find ways to support their pupils remotely.   

The Department for Education have provided some key actions for schools and parents to consider to look after children’s mental health and wellbeing during this time, such as:

• Listening to and acknowledging their concerns – children and young people may feel less anxious if they are able to express and communicate their feelings in a safe and supportive environment. 
• Providing clear information about the situation, but limiting exposure to the media
• Being aware of your own reactions – children and young people often take their emotional cues from the important adults in their lives, so how you respond to the situation is very important.
• Connecting with them regularly, and supporting safe ways for them to connect with their friends online

The importance of reading

A number of organisations have also highlighted the importance of reading, the positive impact that reading has on young people, and the particular benefits of reading during the pandemic and current lockdown. Not only does reading provide much-needed escapism, it also offers children the chance to walk in someone else’s shoes and connect with others through fiction, building empathy. Research from the National Literacy Trust has shown that, overall, children who read for pleasure are three times more likely to have high levels of mental wellbeing than those who do not. 

Children and young adults who enjoy reading independently open the door to new discoveries and wider interests, to knowledge, creativity, and confidence. Reading increases emotional intelligence and empathy, broadens vocabulary and helps develop critical thinking skills, all of which in turn has a positive impact on a young person’s overall wellbeing. Quite simply, reading is good for you!

Develop wellbeing and reading in your school

There are a number of ways in which schools can embrace and promote reading as a strategy for pupil wellbeing. Wellbeing through Reading, the survey platform from Bounce Together and the School Library Association (SLA) helps school staff build knowledge of their pupils’ attitudes to reading, and provides support for developing an appropriate whole-school reading strategy.

Peters and Bounce Together Wellbeing book packs, launched this week for Children’s Mental Health Week, contain a selection of non-fiction and fiction titles to support student wellbeing. Books are hand-picked by Peters’ team of librarians and curriculum specialists, and cover a range of themes to help children build resilience and positive mental health. Available now with 30% discount.

Find out more about Wellbeing Through Reading

Find out more about Bounce Together