In her new blog for the Huffington Post, Kate reveals she “would not hesitate” to send her children to a professional if they were to suffer mental health issues.
Writing candidly about her two children, Kate revealed: “We hope to encourage George and Charlotte to speak about their feelings, and to give them the tools and sensitivity to be supportive peers to their friends as they get older.
“We know there is no shame in a young child struggling with their emotions or suffering from a mental illness.”
As a thoroughly modern royal, Kate has campaigned tirelessly on issues surrounding mental health – particularly those affecting the young.
She revealed how her work shortly after her wedding caused the issue to be so close to her heart.
“Shortly after I got married, I started working with charities helping those affected by issues such as addiction, family breakdown and vulnerable children. As was to be expected, I often heard some heart-breaking stories about lives that had been torn apart, with devastating impacts for all involved, particularly children.
“What I did not expect was to see that time and time again, the issues that led people to addiction and destructive decision making seemed to almost always stem from unresolved childhood challenges. 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.
“It is time to change,” wrote Kate, who urged parents to get past the embarrassment associated with mental disorders, adding she would seek help for her kids should the need arise.
As part of the Young Minds Matter series, several organisations and individuals will be featured on the blog to highlight issues associated with mental health.
