Children who experience good well-being and mental health have a positive quality of life and can function well at home, in school, with peers, and in their communities.
Mental health is not simply the absence of a mental health condition—it is also about a child’s well-being and ability to thrive.
- Many factors influence a child’s well-being and ability to thrive, such as family and community relationships, access to opportunities, and environmental circumstances.
- Children can experience positive well-being even if they are living with a mental health condition. There may be many reasons for this, including access to effective treatment that helps manage symptoms along with safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments in a child’s life.
- Children who don’t have a mental health condition may still experience challenges to their mental health, including their development and ability to cope with everyday stressors and toxic stressors.
Childhood and adolescence are critical stages of life for mental health. This is a time of rapid growth and brain development.
- Young people are rapidly learning social-emotional skills that shape their future ability to learn, grow, and adapt to different situations in life.