Every year, Children’s Mental Health Week gives us a needed and powerful moment to pause, reflect and recommit to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all children and young people. This year’s theme, ‘This is My Place’, shines a spotlight on something that sits at the very heart of wellbeing: belonging.
Belonging is about feeling accepted, respected, included and supported. It is about knowing that you matter, that your voice is heard, and that you are accepted as who you are. For children and young people, experiences of belonging (or the absence of it) can impact not only their mental health and wellbeing, but also their engagement with learning, relationships and their sense of self.
As we celebrate Children’s Mental Health Week 2026, the message is clear: belonging isn’t an optional extra. It’s the foundation for every child’s wellbeing and learning, and it’s something we can all help to nurture.
Belonging and wellbeing: what the evidence tells us
The growing focus on belonging, from both national policy activity to developments in school practice, is strongly supported by research. In 2024, the National Children’s Bureau published a literature review exploring what belonging means for children and young people and why it matters. The review highlights belonging as a core protective factor for mental health, linked to lower levels of anxiety and depression, stronger resilience and improved educational engagement.
Crucially, the review emphasises that belonging is not just about individual friendships. It is shaped by wider systems and environments (school being a particularly important one) and by whether children feel safe, respected, listened to and included within them. Experiences of exclusion, marginalisation or not being understood can significantly undermine wellbeing, particularly for children who already face disadvantage or discrimination.
In other words, belonging is something that must be intentionally built and developed, not assumed as given.
Why schools are central to belonging
Schools are one of the most influential environments in children’s lives. They are where children spend a significant proportion of their time, build relationships, develop their identities and learn how they fit into the world around them. When schools foster a strong sense of belonging, children are more likely to feel connected, supported and able to thrive.
However, the current landscape makes this increasingly challenging. Mental health need among children and young people has risen sharply over the past decade, with around one in five now experiencing a probable mental health disorder.[1] Older adolescents report particularly high levels of distress, and inequalities remain stark: children living in poverty, those with special educational needs and disabilities, care-experienced children and young carers are all disproportionately affected.[2][3][4]
At the same time, schools are under unprecedented pressure. Competing demands, stretched resources and a system that often prioritises attainment over wellbeing mean that support can be reactive, inconsistent and overly dependent on individual capacity. Many schools want to do more, but lack the clarity, evidence and systemic backing needed to embed wellbeing and belonging in a sustainable way.
Supporting Schools to Foster Belonging: The Role of the Schools Wellbeing Partnership
Established in 2014 and hosted by the National Children’s Bureau, the Schools Wellbeing Partnership brings together education, health, research, youth and voluntary sector expertise to help schools turn evidence into practice. Our work is grounded in the understanding that belonging and wellbeing cannot be delivered through isolated interventions, but require whole school approaches that shape culture, leadership, relationships and systems.
We know that whole school approaches are among the most effective ways to embed belonging and support children’s mental health and wellbeing. When implemented well, they can improve school climate, strengthen relationships, elevate pupil voice and support both pupil and staff wellbeing. However, these approaches can be difficult to implement without clear guidance, shared learning and joined-up support.
The Schools Wellbeing Partnership plays a unique role in addressing this challenge. We curate and share high-quality, evidence-informed guidance; promote best practice and practical frameworks; convene a national membership network; and work with policymakers to ensure that wellbeing remains a long-term priority within education reform.
With a growing network of over 300 organisations and schools across the UK, the Partnership provides trusted infrastructure at a time of significant education reform. By joining up fragmented systems, influencing policy and championing long-term commitment, we help ensure that wellbeing is not sidelined as pressures increase.
Coming together: Join the Schools Wellbeing Partnership
Children’s Mental Health Week’s ‘This is My Place’ theme for 2026 reminds us that belonging is not something any school, organisation or sector can create alone. It depends on collective action, shared learning and sustained collaboration across schools, organisations and systems.
At a time of rising mental health need, increasing pressure on schools and widening inequalities, working in partnership has never been more important. By joining the Schools Wellbeing Partnership, schools and organisations become part of a growing national network, gain access to shared learning and high-quality resources, contribute their expertise and experience, and help shape a more coherent, joined-up approach to school wellbeing across the UK.
This Children’s Mental Health Week, we invite schools and organisations to join us as members of the Schools Wellbeing Partnership. Together, we can strengthen belonging, support wellbeing, and ensure that every child and young person feels seen, valued and able to thrive in their education setting.
If you’re already part of the Partnership, help us spread the word! Share this opportunity with your colleagues, networks, and peers, and invite others to join our growing movement. Every new member strengthens our collective voice and impact: together we can improve the wellbeing of all children in education.
Find out more and join the partnership here
[1] NHS Digital (2023). Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2023. Leeds: NHS Digital.
[2] NHS Digital (2023). Mental Health of Children and Young People in England.
[3] Children’s Commissioner for England (2023). The Big Answer: Children’s mental health.
[4] Ford, T., Vizard, T., Sadler, K., et al. (2020). Mental health of children and young people in England 2017: emotional disorders. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 217(1), 1–8.