Nine-year-old Phoebe from Nettlefield Primary School in Belfast defines resilience simply: “When you find something hard, you keep on going.” Her definition encapsulates the core principle of a growing movement to bolster emotional strength in children, particularly in the wake of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A new program is aiming to equip young people with the skills to navigate challenges and build a hopeful outlook for the future, recognizing that the ability to adapt is crucial for their well-being.
Teachers have increasingly recognized a need to build resilience in children following the pandemic, with many reporting difficulties in students’ social and emotional development. The challenges young people face haven’t disappeared, but were “exacerbated” by the pandemic, leading to increased anxiety about failure and difficulty reintegrating into classroom settings. This has prompted innovative approaches to support children’s mental health, focusing on fostering adaptability and a positive mindset.
The Resilient Child Program
Nettlefield Primary School is currently participating in a three-year program called Resilient Child, developed by the local charity Young at Art. The program utilizes art, expression, and creativity as tools to teach children how to be resilient. It’s currently working with six schools across Belfast, with a particular focus on supporting children in lower-income areas. The program aims to move beyond the idea of resilience as simply “having a thick skin,” instead framing it as a set of skills that enable children to adapt to challenging situations.
Eibhlín de Barra, director of Young at Art, explained that the program was born out of a need to support children returning to a changed world. She noted that children were experiencing “real difficulty in peer to peer interaction, socialisation and being able to settle back into the school year,” and were often “really afraid of failing and making mistakes.” The program seeks to address these anxieties by providing a safe and creative space for children to explore their emotions and develop coping mechanisms.
The Importance of Adaptability
De Barra emphasizes that resilience isn’t about suppressing feelings, but about developing the ability to navigate them effectively. “We see it as having a set of skills to facilitate you be adaptable to a situation,” she said. “If you are resilient, it means you are much better to fill your full potential and much better to have a hopeful mindset for your future.” This approach aligns with broader efforts to promote mental health literacy among young people, providing them with the tools to understand and manage their emotional well-being.
The BBC’s Changing Lives hub offers a range of resources for supporting children’s mental health, including tips on active listening, building a “resilience rucksack” of wellbeing tools, and navigating difficult conversations about world events. BBC Children in Need’s resource hub provides further support for parents, carers, and educators.
Research into resilience dates back to the 1970s, with psychologist Emmy Werner’s study of children in Hawaii from lower-income backgrounds popularizing the concept. This early function highlighted the importance of protective factors, such as strong relationships and a sense of community, in helping children overcome adversity.
The focus on resilience building comes after a period where the pandemic significantly impacted children’s lives. Children and teenagers have shared their experiences of both positive memories of family time and the darker side of pandemic life online, underscoring the complex emotional landscape they navigated during this time.
As Phoebe and her classmates at Nettlefield Primary School demonstrate through their artwork, learning to persevere through challenges is a vital skill. The Resilient Child program, and initiatives like it, represent a proactive step towards equipping the next generation with the emotional tools they need to thrive.
The long-term impact of these programs will be closely watched as educators and mental health professionals continue to seek effective strategies for supporting children’s well-being in an ever-changing world. Continued investment in these types of initiatives will be crucial to ensuring that all children have the opportunity to develop the resilience they need to reach their full potential.
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