This year, Children's Mental Health Week 2026 is 9-15 February. The theme, “This is My Place,” focuses on the importance of belonging: helping children and young people feel safe, valued and supported in their everyday environments.
It’s a great opportunity for families and schools to take simple steps to help children talk about their feelings and feel more connected.
Good mental health in childhood is a foundation for wellbeing later in life. Everyone, including families, schools, communities and workplaces, has a role to play.
Since it began in 2015, Children’s Mental Health Week has amplified the voices of children and young people and raised awareness of the challenges they face. Place2Be has created free, easy to use activities and ideas to try at home, in class or in community groups. These are available on the Children's Mental Health Week website.
Small, everyday habits can make a real difference:
- Keeping familiar routines like a steady bedtime, regular mealtimes or calm moments after school, can help children feel more secure and reduce stress.
- Predictable routines can be a simple way to support children’s emotional wellbeing. Talking openly about feelings helps too.
- Many children find it easier to talk when it’s linked to a story - rather than a direct question.
- The Reading Agency’s Reading Well for Children collection has books- chosen by experts and families- to help children explore emotions in a gentle and age appropriate way. The booklist covers worries, sadness, anger, confidence and life changes and there are different reading levels available. They can be especially helpful for starting conversations! Check if these books are available in your local library.
Services in Peterborough are ready to help if extra support is needed:
YOUnited offers support to children and young people aged 5 to 17 with their emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Centre 33 is available for free and confidential support for young people across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. A safe, welcoming place to talk about anything that’s on their minds, whether it's worries, feeling overwhelmed or needing someone to listen. Clients can just drop in to access the self-help resources or speak with the counselling and support teams. Supporting young people up to 25-years-old with emotional and practical needs, the centre helps navigate life’s challenges.
How Are You Peterborough? is an easy place to find something children will enjoy; a great place to start for families wanting to involve children in positive, local activities.
The latest Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Children and Young People Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (2024) shows that early experiences strongly shape health and happiness and that many children face varying emotional needs. It also emphasises the importance of families, schools and communities working together so that children get support early on.
Children’s Mental Health Week reminds us that every child deserves to feel they belong! Small steps at home, support from our schools and community, and extra help available when needed can help make sure children, across Peterborough, feel safe, supported and ready to thrive.