Worcestershire Libraries proud to support Children’s Mental Health Week

This February we are supporting Place2Be’s Children’s Mental Health Week (7 to 13 February) and raising awareness of the resources available at Worcestershire Libraries to help young people.

Worcestershire Libraries are proud hosts of Reading Well, a collection that supports residents to understand and manage their health and wellbeing with helpful reading. Part of this collection is dedicated to books recommended and endorsed by health experts which provide advice and support for those who are struggling with their mental wellbeing.

Councillor Matt Dormer, Cabinet Member for Communities, said, “We know that 50% of those with a lifetime of mental health issues first experience symptoms by the age of 14 so it is really important for us to provide resources to support children and young people who are struggling.

“I’m proud that Worcestershire Libraries are hosts to Reading Well, an invaluable collection of books that can go some way to helping children understand and manage their mental health and well-being.

“We mustn’t forget that our libraries are here to support health and wellbeing for all ages, and they provide good opportunities for people to connect, read, talk and share; all important elements for our mental wellbeing.”

Reading Well for children provides a booklist containing information, stories and advice for children at Key Stage 2 (aged 7 to 11) and includes titles aimed at a wide range of reading levels to support those less confident readers. Children are encouraged to read together with their siblings and carers.

Reading Well for young people contains expert endorsed books about mental health which are aimed at 12 to 18 year olds and contain advice and information about issues like anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) together with difficult experiences such as bullying and exam stress.

Browse the Reading Well for Young People Collection - Shelf Help

Browse the Reading Well for Children Collection

The most popular self-help books borrowed by children across the county have been revealed.

They are:

#Goldilocks (A Hashtag Cautionary Tale)
Ruby's Worry
How Are You Feeling Today

From the main Shelf Help collection:
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Blame My Brain - The Amazing Teenage Brain Revealed

To view more about the Reading Well collection in detail, please visit: Children Reading Well booklists (Reading well)