(LONDON) — Princess Kate said she “wouldn’t hesitate” to get “extra support” to protect the mental health of her two children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, if they ever need it.
“No parent would fail to call the doctor if their child developed a fever, yet some children are tackling tough times without the support that can help them because the adults in their life are scared to ask,” Kate, 34, said Sunday in a statement of support for a new podcast series on children and mental health. “It doesn’t need to be like this.”
“Throughout my work with family and child support organisations, one thing that has stood out to me time and again is that getting early support for a child who is struggling to cope is the best possible thing we can do to help our children as they grow up,” Kate said in the statement. “Knowing this, both William and I feel very strongly that we wouldn’t hesitate to get expert support for George and Charlotte if they need it.”
The Duchess of Cambridge spoke out Sunday on behalf of the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, a charity of which she is a patron. The charity is releasing the podcast series, “Child in Mind,” to help parents better understand children’s mental health problems.
Groundbreaking podcast series launched to help parents understand children’s mental health https://t.co/pgKa8keX9Vhttps://t.co/LD0u7Km041
— Anna Freud NCCF (@AFNCCF) August 14, 2016
“Kate is making a very powerful statement with this message,” said ABC News’ royal contributor Victoria Murphy. “She’s sending a very clear message to other parents that they should not be worried to seek help because she would seek help.”
Children’s well-being and the need to eliminate the stigma around mental health issues are causes close to Kate’s heart.
Please listen, and share with friends and family – let’s change the way we talk to each other about mental health https://t.co/aYBLQDFcFf
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) August 14, 2016
In February, Kate published a mental health blog, again telling parents there’s nothing wrong with asking for help.
Kate partnered with husband Prince William and brother-in-law, Prince Harry earlier this year to launch the “Heads Together” campaign, which brought together eight charities to change perceptions about mental health.
Each of the three royals focuses in the campaign on a different component of mental well-being. Prince William is targeting young men at risk for suicide, and Kate is focusing on children’s mental health. Prince Harry is working to help military members and veterans cope with mental health challenges they often face, highlighting the “invisible injuries” of their service.
The “Heads Together” campaign will be the single biggest initiative Prince William, Princess Kate and Prince Harry will undertake over the next year as they try to change the public conversation on mental health.
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