Promoting Mental Health in the Early Years: Effective Psychosocial Interventions

Background 1.1 Importance of Social and Emotional Wellbeing in Children’s Early Years Children’s social and emotional wellbeing, or mental health, is crucial for healthy development — particularly during the early years, which lay the foundations for flourishing and resilience across the lifespan.1–4 More than the absence of mental illness, mental health is also a dynamic state of wellbeing that u. [...] Discussion 4.1 Summary Mental health — or social and emotional wellbeing — begins in the early years and underpins the health of both individuals and populations.4–5 At the same time, many young children experience avoidable adversities, such as socioeconomic disadvantage, which can contribute to the development of mental disorders.9 So, early childhood is the optimal time to intervene to prevent. [...] In BC this includes among others: the BC Ministries of Children and Family Development, Health, and Mental Health and Addictions; the Provincial Health Services Authority; five regional Health Authorities; and the First Nations Health Authority. [...] Policymakers can also play crucial leadership roles in ensuring adequate funding and supports for early childhood mental health care — and in fostering greater public recognition of the mental health needs of young children and the importance of meeting these needs. [...] Promoting Mental Health in the Early Years: Effective Psychosocial Interventions Page 14 of 24 © Children’s Health Policy Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 2021 Indigenous children and communities in particular merit enhanced resourcing proportionate to need — given the longstanding legacies of colonialism which include socioeconomic inequities, racism, intergenerational.