The Duchess of Cambridge Current Events 5: February 2015-January 2019

[Rudolph]

Princess Kate high-fived youngsters, wore 3-D goggles, played a motion game in heels and called to mind another princess who had a special way with children during a visit on Thursday to a school for kids with mental health issues.

Back from maternity leave after having 4-month-old Princess Charlotte in May, it was her first public outing of a busy autumn – and she was highlighting one of her key issues.

But she was also at the Family School run by the Anna Freud Centre in London to have some fun.

Diving into FitLights, part of a Smart Gym "brain-training system" with 12-year-old Kai, who copes with ADHD and an emotional disorder, she tested her reactions and impressed his watching mother, Chantel. (The center preferred that last names remain private.)

Read more: Princess Kate Has 'Aura of Princess Diana' Meeting with Kids : People.com

 

[Dman]

"She visited the Anna Freud Centre and its associated Family School in Islington, North London, on the latest part of her mission to champion the need for early intervention to deal with a national epidemic of mental health issues facing one in 10 children.

The school, which offers therapy and academic lessons to children with severe emotional and behavioural problems in joint sessions with their parents, will form part of a £25 million integrated centre of excellence housing mental health experts and researchers due to open in Islington in 2018.

Mental health experts hope the integrated approach with joint lessons for children and their parents will be replicated around Britain, as the Government prepares to invest £1.25 billion over five years to tackle the problems affecting around one million young people, often as a result of family breakdown, abuse, illness, and bereavement."

Back working her magic: Duchess of Cambridge sports new-look on return to royal duties-
Duchess of Cambridge ends four month maternity leave with visit to mental health clinic | Royal | News | Daily Express


Wow, I wish our government was prepared to invest and tackle mental health issues too. For some odd reason, it's incredibly hard for us to really double down on issues like this, when clearly a great deal of people in our communities are suffering from a major lack of help in this area.

 

[HighnessN]

I did my psychiatry rotation a few months back and child psych really broke my heart. There is a general lack of understanding about child mental health and as a result the child suffers.
1. It will take a longer time with very severe symptoms before parents bring they children to be seen compared to adults. Most parents are in denial because of the stigma and the misconceptions with regards to child mental health.

2. Child mental health affects a DEVELOPING BRAIN, if not managed properly as early as possible, the overall brain development will be affected and they might end up with some serious neurological fallouts.

3. If not managed properly, the child will do badly. For example, if managed properly, ADHD children have a very good prognosis and can go on to do whatever they wish. If managed badly, their self esteem and school work suffer, they start "acting out" because they are frustrated, may engage in more criminal activity (because criminals are skilled in making kids with low self esteem feel good about themselves) or drop out of school because they cannot cope. They might even be end up with Conduct Disorder. A lot of these kids are smart, just cannot concentrate. Manage ADHD and see the change

4.The need for these special schools is HUGE!!! When placed in the right school, children who were struggling start shining, their confidence and self esteem (which have taken a huge knock at this point) improve and the child does so much better overall.

5. Providing the parents and family with support and education goes a long way in helping the child do better. If the home environment is supportive and caregivers know how to deal with some of the challenges along the way, then the Child does soo much better. You dont just treat the child, you treat the whole family.

I could go on about this but the most important thing is to start managing child mental health issues as early as possible and to do that, we need to first deal with the biggest barrier, which is the stigma around it.

Hope HRH continues on this path. Been loving all her child mental health engagements.

 

[TLLK]

Thank you HighnessN! Speaking as an educator I agree that there is a great need for centers. Too often the typical classroom setting is not the right placement for a child experiencing mental illness concerns. And yes placement in a specialized center will come after months/years of escalating problems in the regular and special education classrooms.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

That is sobering, deeply troubling information. Suicide among children and teens seems to be on the rise here in the U.S.

Thank you very much Highness N, for shedding some light.

 

[Pranter]

It seems that often times we find these children have been on various medications before they commit suicide. Of course some of the warnings on the meds actually indicate depression etc can be a side effect.


LaRae

 

[casualfan]

It seems that often times we find these children have been on various medications before they commit suicide. Of course some of the warnings on the meds actually indicate depression etc can be a side effect.


LaRae

Yes, but that's why children (and adults, too, for that matter) need intervention to include therapy or other forms of personal treatment, and not just a medication. In the US, we too often think that a pill will solve the problem.

 

[Honeybees]

Hate to tell you but way too often in England a pill is also seen as the answer to the problem. Which photograph do you think The Fail published today of the DOC? The side one which exposed the area just above the knee, predicable and sad.

 

[casualfan]

Hate to tell you but way too often in England a pill is also seen as the answer to the problem.

Such a scourge - sad to hear that

 

[Honeybees]

Such a scourge - sad to hear that

A large part of it is financial. The NHS is on its knees and the country is in a terrible state financially which of course adds to peoples problems causing, stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression etc. a viscous circle.

 

[casualfan]

A large part of it is financial. The NHS is on its knees and the country is in a terrible state financially which of course adds to peoples problems causing, stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression etc. a viscous circle.

Here, too, given that most mental health services are not funded properly.

 

[rebound]

In the US I think the problem of mental illness is compounded for children due to the extreme testing they are subjected to. It's a tremendous pressure to do well. It's wrong to place the success of schools and teachers on the shoulders of children, much less to quash self-esteem and positive self-image at such young ages. Teachers try very hard to keep the pressure off, but kids are sensitive to the change in their environment when test times approach.

 

[Rudolph]

Victoria Murphy ‏@QueenVicMirror
The Duchess of Cambridge was at HMP Send this morning meeting female prisoners being helped with drug and alcohol addiction

Place2Be ‏@Place2Be
Our Royal Patron The Duchess of Cambridge visits @RAPtcharity. Important to highlight the link between mental health, addiction + offending

RAPt @RAPtcharity
Wonderful to have #HRH #DofC at our programme for women at HMP Send today – over 450 women have completed treatment there since it began

 

[hernameispekka]

Victoria Murphy ‏@QueenVicMirror
The Duchess of Cambridge was at HMP Send this morning meeting female prisoners being helped with drug and alcohol addiction

Place2Be ‏@Place2Be
Our Royal Patron The Duchess of Cambridge visits @RAPtcharity. Important to highlight the link between mental health, addiction + offending

RAPt @RAPtcharity
Wonderful to have #HRH #DofC at our programme for women at HMP Send today – over 450 women have completed treatment there since it began

This is great!! What a great cause! I love the way she is going, putting focus on early intervention and help with mental health etc! Very clever and worthy!

 

[TortillaChips]

Prisoner Cell Block HRH!!

 

[soapstar]

I'm really glad to see her using her voice to help raise awareness on addictions and mental health issues.

From Richard Palmer's Twitter, here's a quote from Catherine:

"I was reminded today how addictions lie at the heart of so many social issues and how substance misuse can play such a destructive role in vulnerable people's lives. I saw again today that a failure to intervene early in life to tackle mental health problems and other challenges can have profound consequences for people throughout their lives. I am grateful to the women sharing their difficult personal stories with me."

 

[Marty91charmed]

I think this is Kate's best "speech" she has released so far, because it was quite intimiate and personal... Hope next time she is going to delive a wonderful speech in front of the cameras.

 

[Tiaras]

I think this is Kate's best "speech" she has released so far, because it was quite intimiate and personal... Hope next time she is going to delive a wonderful speech in front of the cameras.

Yes and I loved her visit such an important cause, glad to see her give it support.
Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton makes secret visit to women's jail HMP Send Surrey to meet inmates battling alcohol and drug addiction | Daily Mail Online

HMP Send currently operates as a closed Female Training and Resettlement Prison and has an operational capacity of 282.
The RAPt drug and alcohol treatment unit has been running at Send since 2000 and houses 20 women prisoners.
Unusually, Kensington Palace released a statement from the Duchess after the visit.
Many will see it as a clear attempt to establish her credentials in tackling more 'gritty' issues as part of her public work.
It said: 'I was reminded today how addictions lie at the heart of so many social issues and how substance misuse can play such destructive role in vulnerable people's lives. I saw again today that a failure to intervene early in life to tackle mental health problems and other challenges can have profound consequences for people throughout their lives.
'I am grateful to the women I met for sharing their difficult personal stories with me. It is encouraging to learn how organisations like RAPt are offering specialist support to help people break the cycle of addiction and look forward to a positive and crime free life.'

 

[Rudolph]

The Duchess of Cambridge has met inmates on a visit to one of Britain's toughest women's jails to find out how they are being helped with drug and alcohol addiction.

On her first ever prison visit, the Duchess spent almost two hours inside HMP Send in Surrey, which houses murderers among its 282 prisoners.

On D wing, the prison's 20-bed Addictive Treatment Unit, the Duchess chatted to prisoners to hear their personal stories of how they became addicted to drugs and alcohol and how the unit is helping them to overcome their substance abuse.

She was making the visit at the request of the Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust (RAPt), which operates in 26 prisons across the country.

Read more: Kate in prison: Duchess of Cambridge visits women's jail to see how charity helps inmates overcome addiction - Telegraph

 

[Marty91charmed]

Yes and I loved her visit such an important cause, glad to see her give it support.
Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton makes secret visit to women's jail HMP Send Surrey to meet inmates battling alcohol and drug addiction | Daily Mail Online

I really hope Kate will continue her duties in this way... today was an improvement. Hope in another step forward and not a step back!

 

[HighnessN]

Love, love ,love this engagement!! Child mental health, substance abuse and criminal activity go together. A child with mental health care problems will have difficulty in life, may turn to substances to "self medicate" and substance will in some form result in criminal activity. The terrible thing about this is that its a vicious cycle that never ends. Mental health problems--> substance use-->substances worsen mental problem ---> criminal activity.

Thats why early intervention for children with mental health issues and for those with substance problems or parents with substance addiction need help very early.

I must say I love her commitment to child mental health issues and addiction problems. I love how she was been having engagements that link these two together as they go hand in hand. Hope she does another engagement around the M-Pact Plus programme.

 

[Rudolph]

Addiction and mental health issues are cornerstones of much of Kate's charitable work. Today was great but it is the continuation on what she has been doing for awhile. Its just in the past not everyone gave her credit.

Today was her first visit to a prison however

Today (Friday 25 September 2015) HRH the Duchess of Cambridge paid her first ever visit to a prison to see one of our dedicated addiction treatment centres in action.

RAPt is the largest provider of intensive, abstinence based addiction services in prisons in the UK and HMP Send is one of 26 prisons across the country where RAPt works. Independent research shows that RAPt’s intensive treatment programme leads to a 65% reduction in reoffending (1).

The RAPt addiction treatment programme at HMP Send is the only intensive, 12-Step, prison based drug and alcohol programme for women in the country. The 16-21 week programme is based in a standalone unit where the women live. It is tailored to support the needs of women with addiction who have often experienced deep trauma and need a specialised type of support to turn their lives around. The programme also focuses on building healthy relationships with partners, children and other family members. To date 450 women have graduated from the programme.

During the visit the Duchess heard from some of the women prisoners about how they had become addicts and prisoners. They told her how the RAPt programme was helping them to overcome their addiction and become drug, alcohol and crime free.

HRH, the Duchess of Cambridge, said: "I was reminded today how addictions lie at the heart of so many social issues and how substance misuse can play such destructive role in vulnerable people's lives. I saw again today that a failure to intervene early in life to tackle mental health problems and other challenges can have profound consequences for people throughout their lives.

I am grateful to the women I met for sharing their difficult personal stories with me. It is encouraging to learn how organisations like RAPt are offering specialist support to help people break the cycle of addiction and look forward to a positive and crime free life."

Read more: HRH The Duchess of Cambridge pays first visit to a prison to see RAPt’s successful addiction treatment programme. | RAPt

 

[Dman]

THE Duchess of Cambridge met inmates at a women's prison today to hear their stories of how drink and drug addiction led to a life of crime-
Kate Duchess of Cambridge is effortlessly elegant as she visits women's prison | Royal | News | Daily Express

Brilliant visit. I like the way she's carrying out her role in helping and understanding how addiction can lead to very dangerous paths.

 

[An Ard Ri]

PPE

PPE Agency

 

[Honeybees]

A bit confused as to how a paper can run a story such as this and label it 'secret'? Excellent to see such an important issue being highlighted.

 

[hernameispekka]

A bit confused as to how a paper can run a story such as this and label it 'secret'? Excellent to see such an important issue being highlighted.

Hahah, yeah.. Journos this day need a better vocabulary It was not announced to the public in before and the media was not allowed to publish before she left, so in that way it was "secret" as in unnanouced But it's obviously not secret!

 

[Daria_S]

The Duchess of Cambridge Current Events 5: February 2015

Love, love ,love this engagement!! Child mental health, substance abuse and criminal activity go together. A child with mental health care problems will have difficulty in life, may turn to substances to "self medicate" and substance will in some form result in criminal activity. The terrible thing about this is that its a vicious cycle that never ends. Mental health problems--> substance use-->substances worsen mental problem ---> criminal activity.

Thats why early intervention for children with mental health issues and for those with substance problems or parents with substance addiction need help very early.

I must say I love her commitment to child mental health issues and addiction problems. I love how she was been having engagements that link these two together as they go hand in hand. Hope she does another engagement around the M-Pact Plus programme.

I think you're spot on; currently, my family is dealing with this issue in regards to my younger sister. She's had struggles with school, and even though she's very physically attractive, her so-called 'friends' found things about her that they thought were ugly (such her big eyes, which in all honesty are not ugly at all). She felt pressure, and turned to drugs to 'forget'. She has been to rehab several times, but after making huge strides, she still reverts to previous habits. My parents did send her to counseling when she was younger, but for some reason, it didn't take. I'm so glad to see Her Highness is choosing such serious causes to tackle, and represent. The more people know, the more they can help those who are at risk for addiction. Someone also mentioned that the mental health issues in children rise from a lot of high-stakes testing, and I couldn't agree more. However, as a teacher, I can tell you that the pressure is also on us to raise the ratings of the school by having kids score as high as possible. Thankfully, I work with children who are not participating in these tests, because of their severe intellectual disabilities, but there's still pressure to push the children to the point of insanity. All the planning, data recording, progress reports, etc. are enough to make me ill just by mere mentions, and I love my kids to death, and want them to succeed. With all the stress on teachers, it would be great for schools to provide support services to the staff as well, because stressed, and worn-out teachers are no good to their students.



Sent from my iPad using The Royals Community mobile app

 

[Tiaras]

https://youtu.be/vUz9VamYOTU

“The visit reflects the Duchess’s interest in learning how organisations support people living with substance misuse issues, and the impact of addiction within the wider family network. As Patron of addiction charity, Action on Addiction, she is aware that addictions lie at the heart of so many social issues and the destructive role that substance misuse plays in vulnerable people’s and communities’ lives.”
— Kensington Palace

 

[Rudolph]

Lots of pics from today's visit

The Duchess of Cambridge Visits HM Prison Send | POPSUGAR Celebrity UK

From HRH's website.

The Duchess of Cambridge visits Send Women's Prison

 

[roseroyal]

I'm really glad to see her using her voice to help raise awareness on addictions and mental health issues.

From Richard Palmer's Twitter, here's a quote from Catherine:

What an amazing lady- I have never met her- yet I feel she understands me. I've never struggled with drugs- but I do have a mental illness- I'm guessing less severe than these ladies, but still it is a struggle- and I feel understood by a Duchess half a world away. What she's said - and the fact that she listens with her heart tells me she's the right voice for the cause.

Yes and I loved her visit such an important cause, glad to see her give it support.
Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton makes secret visit to women's jail HMP Send Surrey to meet inmates battling alcohol and drug addiction | Daily Mail Online

Love the pictures of Catherine listening with her heart- to people we forget to listen to.