Children's Mental Health Week 2026: Free resources to support belonging

Children’s Mental Health Week 2026 takes place from 9th to 15th February and offers schools a timely opportunity to pause, reflect, and strengthen how they support children and young people’s emotional wellbeing. 

This year’s theme from Place2Be, This Is My Place, focuses on belonging. Feeling safe, welcomed, and valued in their setting is fundamental to children’s mental health, whether they are in the early years, primary school, or secondary education.

At Thrive, we understand that belonging is not created through one-off activities. It is built through relationships, routines, and emotionally responsive environments. To support settings during Children’s Mental Health Week, we’ve created a set of free resources for early years, primary, and secondary settings, designed to explore belonging in practical, age-appropriate ways.

 

Why belonging matters for children’s mental health

Belonging is closely linked to children’s mental health and behaviour. When children experience a sense of belonging in school, they are better able to cope with stress, manage change, and seek support when they need it.

A lack of belonging, on the other hand, can show up as:

•  Anxiety or withdrawal
• Challenging or distressed behaviour
• Difficulties with peer relationships
• Reduced engagement with learning

Across early years, primary, and secondary settings, emotionally safe environments help children and young people feel secure enough to learn, grow, and take risks.
   

   

Using Children's Mental Health Week to strengthen whole-school wellbeing

While Children’s Mental Health Week is an important annual focus, children and young people benefit most from consistent, relational support throughout the year.

Schools often use the week as a starting point to:

• Reflect on their school culture and sense of belonging
• Strengthen relationships between staff and pupils
• Develop a shared language around emotional wellbeing
• Connect wellbeing initiatives to wider school priorities

Belonging is not something that can be delivered through assemblies alone. It is felt through everyday interactions, predictable responses, and emotionally available adults.