‘Our minds, Our Rights’ is the theme for this year’s Word Mental Health Day. Mental health is a universal human right, even for children. Everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of mental health. This includes the right to be protected from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care, and the right to liberty, independence and inclusion in the community.

In order to mark this important day, which is commemorated on the 10^th of October worldwide, the Commissioner for Children, Ms Antoinette Vassallo and the Hon. Minister for the Family and Children’s Rights, Dr Michael Falzon launched three videos promoting good mental health. Two of the videos aim to create awareness amongst school children, one for Primary and one for Middle/Secondary school students. The videos will form part of a toolkit for educators together with lesson plans and activities to be carried out in class. The toolkits will be disseminated in all State, Church and Independent Schools and will be encouraged to hold a lesson so as to create awareness about maintain good mental health.

The third video aims to create awareness amongst parents and those working with children to recognise signs of difficulty amongst children. This video will form part of a social media campaign with the aim of reaching the public at large.

World Mental Health Day is an opportunity for us to improve our knowledge, raise awareness and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health. We should encourage and support everyone experiencing challenges to ask for help.

If you are experiencing difficulty and need advice/ support reach out for help, you may contact support line 179 which offers 24/7 help. It is ok to ask for help when needed.