Through their Royal Foundation, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge enabled £1.8 million to support key workers and those with mental health problems arising directly from the experience of the pandemic.
The Duke and Duchess have prioritised mental health and wellbeing and will issue grants to 10 leading charities ‘at the heart of mental health and frontline support,’ (https://www.royal.uk/royal-foundation-duke-and-duchess-cambridge-announces-support-frontline-workers-and-nations-mental ).
The nation’s longstanding and tenacious mental health crisis has been exacerbated by the particular problems triggered by the pandemic.
The Royal Foundation’s Covid-19 Response Fund was launched in partnership with NHS England and Hospice UK. The Duchess of Cambridge said:
‘Over recent months, we have all been in awe of the incredible work that frontline staff and emergency responders have been doing in response to Covid-19, but we know that for many of them, their families, and/or thousands of others across the UK, the pandemic will have a lasting impact on their mental health.’
Amongst other things that will be realised due to the Covid-19 Response Fund the grants will enable:
- Children, teachers and their parents to be supported to cope with mental health needs, including self-care and managing anxiety as schools re-open thanks to training and resources from Place2Be and The Anna Freud Centre
- An additional 20,000 new mothers to be supported by Best Beginnings, thanks to a community mental health training project to reach pregnant women and new parents
- Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to respond to 2,300 more contacts each month
- Funding to build the capacity of the Heads Together partners as they work to campaign to address the nation’s mental health in the aftermath of Covid-19.
Helen Clark, Campaign Manager for the Child Mental Health Charter Campaign added:
This is wonderful news. The Duke and Duchess have prioritised mental health and in particular the very distinct mental health needs of children.
I hope that the Prime Minister will take courage from their excellent example and announce a parliamentary timetable to reform the 1989 Mental Health Act with children at its heart.
Parliament returns from recess on September 1st and we hope for an announcement at that time.
Meanwhile, the Child Mental Health Charter Campaign is incredibly grateful to their Royal Highnesses who have stepped in to help children, their families and those who care for them and work professionally with them at this difficult and most stressful time.’
Helen Clark, Campaign Manager