The Aim of This Toolkit

The aim of this toolkit is to allow educators different resources of tools that can of help children that may be displaying symptoms of a mental health disorder. This toolkit can be helpful for educators that are struggling with how to manage a situation when it comes to assisting children that are displaying mental health disorders.

 Included in this toolkit are different tools for...

• Intervention & Prevention

• Screening & Assessment

• Behaviour Strategies to assist with behaviour management

• Different ways to build resiliency in young children in the classroom

The focus of this toolkit is to provide the reader different ways to support a child that may displaying a mental health disorder. Children display mental health disorder symptoms in many different ways, this toolkit provides basic tools to allow a classroom to be inclusive for every learner. 

Who is it for?

This toolkit may be applied to any child that is displaying a mental health disorder that an educator may be concerned they are struggling with symptoms. Although this toolkit can be used for any age group, it is primarily made for those attending preschool (ages 0-4). An important aspect to remember is that some age-appropriate behaviours may mimic the same behaviours of a mental health disorder. It is crucial that no educator assumes a child has a mental health disorder without exploring different possibilities of why a child may be displaying certain symptoms or behaviours.

Who Should Use it?

This toolkit should be used by those that hold an Early Childhood Education diploma or equivalent. Those that take advantage of this toolkit should have a good understanding of mental health disorders; signs and symptoms, behaviours that may indicate a mental health disorder and common misconceptions on mental health disorders in children.

Seeing the warning signs of a mental health disorder early on in childhood allows us to give children the tools necessary in order for them to live a productive life and may help them struggle less, "without treatment, these mental health conditions can prevent children from reaching their full potential" (Children and mental health: Is this just a stage?, 2021.) Children are capable learners but when living with a mental health disorder it may disrupt their ability to be present when in a learning environment and may overall struggle with learning.

Adults that have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder later on in life have reported that once they received help, their quality of life improved and wished that they had received help earlier on in childhood as they struggled greatly as a child with the symptoms of a mental health disorder. (Children and mental health: Is this just a stage?, 2021.) It is important that when we see symptoms arising, we do everything in our power to help the child, we might be the only one to see these warning signs and if we don't help them, they may go the rest of their lives without receiving any help and can result in struggling with certain aspects of their life.

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