Trustees talk to ITV's Good Morning Britain about the importance of self care education
Self Care Forum chair, Helen Donovan, specialist public health nurse, and Trustee, GP Dr Chee Yeen Fung highlight the need for more self care taught in schools to help children and young people grow up with vital knowledge and skills about their health and wellbeing.
Talking on Good Morning Britain on 26 January 2023, both discussed the benefits of ensuring schoolchildren are given life skills about taking care of their health and wellbeing as early as possible.
Helen Donovan said, “given the importance of people having skills and knowledge to take care of their own physical health and mental wellbeing, the earlier we learn these skills the better and we very much hope to see these lessons taught in all schools.
“It’s important to add, that self care is not no care, and our message is not at all about telling people to stay away from the NHS. Self care is indeed about knowing when to take care of ourselves and knowing when to seek supported help, and where to go for that help.”
Good Morning Britain also filmed the Dr Me Project in action at a school in London. The programme, written by Dr Chee Yeen Fung and run by volunteer health professionals, is an award winning, innovative health promotion aiming to encourage children to become more aware of their own health and provide a basic understanding of the management of common childhood illnesses, whilst also inspiring children into healthcare careers.
The Dr Me Project will soon be taught in schools in Dundee and it is hoped that more projects will be rolled out across the country before too long.
