Foreword We all have mental health and, just like our physical health, it needs looking after. This also applies to children and young people. Half of all reported poor mental health is established by the age of 14 years old (1) and over 200 school-aged young people are lost to suicide every year (2). Poor mental health that presents during childhood and adolescence can have lifelong effects that impact upon a range of adult outcomes. These include employment, the ability to establish and maintain healthy relationships, and general health and wellbeing. Due to the lack of government funding to the NHS, professional mental health help is not always available straight away. Investment in community youth services, such as youth clubs and groups, have also fallen across the country. Despite this the needs of young people have increased (3). When these sources of help are not available, those who have attended a Youth MHFA ® course have the skills and knowledge to provide person- centred first response support. They can help by assessing for any crises and safeguarding concerns, helping the young person to feel valued and listened to, and providing crucial signposting information. That is why it is so important that you have taken this step. Having taken the course, you are becoming part of an ever- growing community of over 700,000 people in England and seven million people worldwide who have been trained in MHFA, are passionate about building mental health literacy, challenging stigma, promoting positive mental health, and making sure everyone gets the support they need. It is this community which will achieve our vision of a society where all children and young people are emotionally nurtured, have the opportunity to understand their mental health, and feel confident asking for help. You will shortly be invited to join the Association of
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