I’m really excited about a new Twofour Learning project focusing on child and adolescent mental health. It’s subject matter our team have been keen to work on for a while. At last we’ve got the chance. This week we’ve kicked off a very exciting new video project producing a DVD lead by children and young people about their experiences of mental health and mental illness, which in many ways are subjects still very much taboo….

Just over a year ago a groundbreaking UNICEF report, authored by Professor Jonathan Bradshaw of York University, prompted outrage from children’s charities and embarrassment for the Government which has lavished billions on child health and education, by placing the UK last in the survey of 21 nations, which included Europe as well as the United States, Canada and Japan.

British children languished at the bottom of an international league table examining the physical and emotional well-being of youngsters in the world’s wealthiest nations. The report showed that despite living in the fifth richest country, the next generation of UK citizens experience some of the worst levels of poverty. The research found they regard themselves as less happy, and that they drank more alcohol, took more drugs, and had more underage sex than children overseas.

Since then there have been numerous reports about the state of children and young people’s mental health in the UK, including the cover story in the TES last month where three quarters of all teachers said they have taught abused children.

It is really inspiring to be involved in something as challenging and groundbreaking as this new DVD, for which we will be facilitating children and young people to develop their creativity in expressing themselves through video, animation, illustration and music.