FPH calls for parenting lessons on children’s mental health

The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) has called on the government to provide lessons to parents on how to raise their children to ensure they remain mentally healthy.

In a report, the FPH said: “Mental, emotional or psychological problems account for more disability than all physical health problems put together. Although we cannot say yet exactly how much of the burden of mental illness could be prevented, we know prevention is possible."

It cited one in 10 children aged five to 16 had a mental health problem that warranted support and treatment, and claimed the quality of parent-child relationship and parentally played a primary role in a child’s developing mental health.

Professor John Ashton, outgoing president of the FPH maintained that the lessons would help stop children being crippled by conditions such as anxiety, anorexia and obesity. He suggested that parenting advice and support should be provided by investing existing services such as health visitors and schools to help people raising children.

He said: "We've done well in terms of producing live, healthy babies over the last 60, 70 years, but, by the time children are leaving school, between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of them are in trouble emotionally or mentally, and suffer from things like obesity, eating disorders, anxiety and stress.”