Mum admits to letting children stay home from school for 'mental health days'

A mum has revealed she lets her children take the occasional day of school for mental health reasons.

While parents might be accustomed to keeping their little ones off school when they have a cold or flu, it’s likely less common to do so for “personal” reasons.

But the mum-of-two feels strongly that, for her children, this approach is the right one.

In an essay published on Parents.com, the mother-of-two explained her kids are usually “secure [...] happy, physically healthy and doing well at school” but, she argues, “that doesn't mean they don't need a mental health checkup”.

Having struggled with long-term mental health issues herself, she believes “paying attention to my kids' mental health is just as important as getting them vaccinated against disease and treating them for physical ailments.”

“During these personal days—or "mental health" days, as I call them—we have rules: No screens, an adequate amount of fresh air, healthy food before treats.”

“Before you call child services, this is not a regular occurrence,” she stresses.

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“My kids don't get to take every second day off school just because they feel like it (or want to play the Xbox all day). In fact, it happened only three times during the last school year.”

Keeping your child off school

According to the UK government website, parents are allowed to keep a child off school if “they are too ill to go in”.

However, it does not specify what this entails.

The NHS website provides more guidance about what form this illness might take.

Some infectious conditions such as chickenpox, an ear infection, impetigo, ringworm and scarlet fever are grounds to keep a child off school.

A fever, diarrhoea and vomiting are also given as reasons. However, there is no mention of mental health conditions.

READ MORE: Childhood obesity linked to mental health problems

Children and mental health

It’s not only adults who suffer from mental health issues.

Mental health issues affect one in 10 children and young people in the UK, according to the Mental Health Foundation – including depression, anxiety and conduct disorder.

There is growing awareness of mental health issues affecting children, with the Duchess of Cambridge at the forefront.

The Duchess is patron of early intervention mental health charity Place2Be. She also recently opened the new Anna Freud National Centre, the London headquarters of a children's mental health charity.