Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge is the guest editor for The Huffington Post U.K. and has chosen to use the opportunity to highlight the importance of mental health. In a blog post for the site, she said that she and her husband, Prince William, would not hesitate to seek help for their children if they faced mental health challenges.
The Huffington Post U.K. and Kensington Palace announced plans for Kate to work on the site last month. Mental health issues for young people is one of her chosen causes and even appeared in a PSA.
Kate wrote today that it is time for mental health challenges in young people to be discussed and she is launching the program Young Minds Matter on the site. She wrote that, after she married, she heard stories about lives destroyed or impacted by addiction and discovered that many problems had stemmed from issues dating back to childhood.
“It became clear to me that many children - even those younger than five - have to deal with complex problems without the emotional resilience, language or confidence to ask for help. And it was also clear that with mental health problems still being such a taboo, many adults are often too afraid to ask for help for the children in their care,” she wrote. “It is time for this to change.”
Later, Kate noted that, “Like most parents today, William and I would not hesitate to seek help for our children if they needed it.” She added that she hopes George and Charlotte will be able to speak about how they feel as they get older. “We know there is no shame in a young child struggling with their emotions or suffering from a mental illness,” she added.
However, Kate does understand that not all families have the access to help that hers has as the Royal Family. She urged schools and communities to play a role as well, to help parents out.
“Of course, for some parents and carers seeking help is not so easy,” Kate wrote. “When families are short of time or money it is not always easy to know where to look for help or advice. That is why we need schools and communities to play their full role to help children who are struggling in ways that are not always easy to see.”
Kate also enlisted U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama to write a column on the issue. She focused on the needs of veterans, who also face mental health challenges after serving their country.