Hear Me See Me, Uncovering the lived experiences of younger children’s mental health

Bradwell, Marie (2023) Hear Me See Me, Uncovering the lived experiences of younger children’s mental health. Doctoral thesis, Plymouth Marjon University.

Text Hear Me See Me, Uncovering the lived experiences of younger children’s mental health.pdf - Accepted Version Download (3MB)

Abstract

Dominant paradigms ensure that stigma and shame remain associated with the terms of Mental Health, Mental Illness, and Mental Disorders. Despite Mental Health being an area of health integral to each individual, discussion around Mental Health is also underfunded and undervalued. Current approaches to support children’s Mental Health are top-down, instigated by adults, often resulting in unhelpful and unrealistic expectations placed on children. These top-down aspects extend to research around Mental Health, often excluding younger children. As such, the research which underpins the ‘Hear Me, See Me’ study explicitly focuses on younger children's voices. A focus which uncovers the influences on younger children’s mental health and what impacts their experience of mental health in their daily lives. The research sat within a methodological approach of hermeneutic phenomenology, including the hermeneutic circle. A constructivist positionality was implemented. The Mosaic Approach was applied to hear and listen to children’s voices to ensure children were heard in the research. The research was undertaken in several educational establishments, and 40 children from these various settings participated. Data collected formed individual Mosaics and provided insights into the influences and impacts on younger children’s Mental Health. Children communicated the necessity of being heard and the commonality of being ignored within educational settings. The children highlighted how the educational environment’s procedures prevented them from meeting their basic needs and undermined children’s agency and their play provision. The research demonstrates that younger children perceive how they are positioned, ‘seen’ and ‘heard’ and how they, as individuals, manage their emotions. There is a recommendation that a fundamental shift takes place in the framing of younger children in Early Years settings, which promotes their agency and genuinely listens and hears younger children – as Hear ME See Me reveals that they know much more than was previously assumed about how to promote their mental health - only then can their mental health be ensured.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Depositing User:	Ms Raisa Burton
Date Deposited:	20 Feb 2025 13:55
Last Modified:	20 Feb 2025 13:55
URI:	https://marjon.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17944

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